COMMUTERS in the Wee County face traffic disruption over the Kincardine Bridge for a month with the final phase of essential maintenance works beginning tonight.

Single lane closures with temporary traffic lights, full closures overnight for shorter periods and diversions are all part of the £170,000 project.

Work to replace the road surface, waterproof the bridge deck and install new extension joints on the northern most viaduct span begins on Wednesday, June 5, with a full overnight closure in place between 8pm and 6am – each night until Saturday, June 8.

The night-time closures will be back in place next month, between Saturday, July 6, and Tuesday, July 9.

Throughout the period between 6am on Saturday, June 8, and 8pm on Saturday, July 6, there will be 24-hour single lane closures with temporary traffic lights.

Saturday, June 22, will be an exception with a full carriageway closure to allow the switchover from the eastbound lane to the west side.

The partial, 24-hour closure of the A876 North Approach Road will also be necessary, affecting the westbound right-turn towards the bridge, in place between June 8 and July 6.

Traffic will be diverted left via the A985 eastbound to Longannet Roundabout. From here, motorists will be able to join the A985 westbound towards Kincardine Bridge and the diversion will end.

Eastbound traffic at the Kincardine Bridge off-slip will also be affected between June 8 and June 23 with a diversion along the Longannet Roundabout, then joining the A977 Toll Road towards Kincardine.

The west footway will also be closed during the first two weeks of the project.

Pedestrians will use the other side instead with an additional crossing at the North Approach Road; the east footway will remain open all the way through.

Motorists are being asked to remain patient with a maximum delay of 12minutes anticipated.

Diversions for the full closure will be over the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge via the Higgins Neuk Roundabout.

All works are scheduled to finish on Wednesday, July 10.

This is the seventh, and said to be the final, phase of works on the carriageway, in advance of the replacement of the southern piled viaduct, bridge painting and the widening of the footways along with general maintenance planned for the coming years.