July 16, 2021 5.15 pm This story is over 32 months old

New waterproofing going down on Pelham Bridge in Lincoln

Six weeks in, four more to go before reopening

Work is continuing to repair Pelham Bridge in Lincoln, with new waterproofing on the stripped-back bridge deck this week.

The waterproofing has been taking place on the northbound lane. This is essentially a bright blue liquid plastic which is sprayed onto the deck to act as a barrier from water to prevent any damage to the steel or concrete.

After the waterproofing is applied, the contractors conduct a spark test, which uses electricity to detect tiny pinholes in the waterproofing so that they can re-spray any areas if they need to.

The waterproofing has been taking place on the northbound lane. | Photo: Kurnia AP / LCC

The Balfour Beatty workers have started to paint a black tack coat onto the waterproofing. This helps the surfacing to bond to the waterproofing.

The excavations behind the bridge abutments, which were dug out to allow the waterproofers to spray the ends of the deck are now being filled back in.

In other areas of the bridge, contractors continued cleaning the deck to make sure it’s in the best condition for when the new waterproofing is applied.

Next week the surfacing contractor will arrive to start laying a thin protective layer of surfacing over the waterproofing so it does not get damaged before the full surfacing is laid.

The kerbs will be also be laid into position next week. There are approximately 1,600 new ones to place.