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03 Nov 2025
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03 Nov 2025
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The bridge has been closed since late September.
The Department for Infrastructure has confirmed that a scheme to repair the damage to the Kilrea Bridge will commence on Monday, November 10.
The bridge has been closed in the interests of public safety since September 20 following an inspection which identified extensive cracking on the retaining wall located at the south-west end of the Bridge.
A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure said: “Since the closure of the Kilrea Bridge the Department has carried out a ground investigation, developed a technical solution and tendered for a specialist contractor to allow the road to reopen.
“We are pleased to confirm that a specialist contractor has now been appointed and work to repair the damage will commence on Monday 10 November. This will be a 14-week scheme, which is longer than originally anticipated, due to the difficult ground conditions on site.
“The solution requires specialist equipment to drill between the two approach walls beneath the existing road surface. Tie-bars will then be inserted into these drilled holes to structurally connect the retaining walls on either side of the road. The contractor has advised that the presence of large boulders will make it more difficult for the drilling operation. As a result, it will take longer to drill, and the installation of each tie-bar will be more time-consuming.
“The lead-in period before the works start next week will allow time for the contractor to carry out pre-site checks and prepare equipment and ensure all health and safety procedures are in place and agreed with the Department.
“We are continuing to engage with the contractor to explore options to reduce the timescale. We will keep the local communities up to date on the timeline throughout the works.
“We fully appreciate the impact of the ongoing closure and the understandable frustration of the local community, including businesses in the area and we thank them for their patience while we work to deliver a safe and effective solution. We want to reassure the public that we are working at speed to strengthen the road and will continue to explore every opportunity to accelerate progress and minimise disruption.”
The Department will continue to provide updates on the repair works on our website at: https://www.infrastructure-ni.
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