Over the past few months, BEAR Scotland have progressed the second phase of refurbishment works on Inchbae Bridge on the A835, a complex project that builds on the structural repairs completed last year. This phase focused on refurbishing the bridge deck, including fully exposing and re-waterproofing it to ensure long-term durability.

Throughout the planning stages, we were committed to keeping the A835 open to minimise disruption for road users. However, the bridge’s narrow and off-centre carriageway geometry presented a significant challenge. Under normal circumstances, this layout would have required a full road closure to safely complete the refurbishment.

To overcome this, we designed and delivered a package of enabling works ahead of the main construction activity. These works involved widening the carriageway on the approach to the bridge by infilling the left-hand-side soft verges to create a suitable running surface, ensuring the road remained open to traffic and minimising overall disruption.

This phase builds on the extensive concrete repair works carried out beneath the structure in 2024. Together, the two phases represent a near-complete refurbishment of Inchbae Bridge, both above and below deck, including parts of the structure that aren’t visible to road users but are essential to the long-term integrity.

Only minor finishing works remain, with road studs still to be installed to fully complete the works.

We would like to thank everyone involved in delivering both phases of this challenging project. Thanks to the combined effort of all teams, Inchbae Bridge is now in excellent condition and well prepared to serve the network for many years ahead.