WORKS on the Kincardine Bridge have been completed ahead of schedule.

The essential maintenance was originally programmed to run until the end of the month, but the main traffic restrictions have already been removed yesterday, March 14.

The job involved the replacement of the road surface, bridge deck waterproofing and the installation of new expansion joints to the north viaduct spans.

Temporary traffic lights were in operation, but these have now been removed and the A985 has fully reopened to all traffic during the day.

In preparation for the final works, however, the bridge will be closed at night today and tomorrow as well as next Tuesday and Wednesday, March 21 and 22.

Stuart Wallace, bridge manager for Amey, said: “We are pleased that this work has been completed significantly ahead of schedule.

“Two factors contributed to this, firstly, a period of fair weather conditions and the concrete bridge deck was in a better condition that envisaged prior to construction and this has minimised the level of repairs required.”

He added: “We would like to extend our thanks to the residents and business community of Kincardine, the local authority and the travelling public for their patience and support while this work has taken place.

“By undertaking this work now we are ensuring the continued safety and reliability of one of the key crossings on the trunk road network, and reduced the need for more extensive maintenance in the future.”

Transport Scotland’s major bridge manager, Douglas Laird, said: “It is good to see these extensive repairs on one of Scotland’s major road bridges completed ahead of schedule.

“The work, which is part of Transport Scotland’s ongoing bridge maintenance programme, will help make sure that the Kincardine crossing operates safely for years to come.

“We make every effort to minimise disruption during this type of work and we would like to thank everyone for the patience they showed the project was being carried out.”