Coleridge Bridge at Ottery St Mary is expected to re-open to the public next Wednesday (17 September) after being lifted back into place.
The spans were dismantled and taken from site in July to enable three of them to be repaired, while one has been completely replaced.
They have been re-assembled on site and hoisted into position this week.
While the bridge deck was off site, protective measures were installed at the central pier to safeguard it from ongoing scour from the River Otter. This involved sheet piling around the existing foundations and casting a new reinforced concrete pilecap, using over 200 tonnes of concrete.
The new pilecap shape has been designed to smooth the flow of water past the structure, as the ongoing movement of the river is likely to see the central pier within the river in the future.
While the bridge will be accessible from Wednesday 17 September, the contractor will still be on site re-building the riverbank and returning the flood plain to its previous levels.
Councillor Dan Thomas, Cabinet Member for Highways, said:
“Lifting the sections back into place and the overall programme of work has gone smoothly, thanks to the diligence of principal contractor Ultim8, and the other contractors involved in the project. Work has taken place at weekends where necessary, and they’ve co-ordinated their work well with each other. We’ve taken the decision to reopen the bridge next week, even though some of the reinstatement work is continuing, as it provides a safer route for schoolchildren and local residents rather than walking alongside the main road.”
Councillor Jess Bailey, County Councillor for the Otter Valley, said:
“I’m thrilled for Ottery residents and students at the Kings School that the Coleridge Bridge is about to be re-opened. It will mean a far safer and more direct walking route to and from the centre of Ottery. The bridge re-instatement has faced huge challenges but the engineering team at DCC and the principal contractor Ultim8 have been fantastic in overcoming them and delivering the project.”
The pedestrian and cycle bridge has been closed for safety reasons since December 2023, after it was struck by a falling tree, damaging the bridge deck and truss.