Plans are being developed to replace the entire deck of the Cement Mills Viaduct, a vital section of the Cowes to Newport Cycletrack.
Under the work, Island Roads will replace nearly 100 panels that are now nearing end of life with new highly durable decking that is designed to be widely recyclable.
The 7-week project will not begin until September, after the main holiday season, but Island Roads is keen to provide adequate advance notice given the project will require the complete closure of the bridge.
The work will be undertaken by Island company DDGA who have successfully delivered many other infrastructure projects on behalf of Island Roads including the protective steel netting on the cliff face above Gills Cliff Road at Ventnor.
Dating back to Victorian times, Cement Mills Viaduct was built over Dodnor Creek as part of the original Cowes to Sandown railway line. Today the track is part of the National Cycle Network Route 23 between Reading and Sandown and locally is part of the Red Squirrel Trail.
The timing of the work has been pushed back to the Autumn, avoiding the summer season when the route is at its busiest, following discussions with cycling group Cyclewight. The work cannot be done in the winter as materials used in the redecking process cannot be used in wet weather.
Project manager George Lovelock said:
“Unfortunately it is simply not possible to keep the bridge open during maintenance, but regular users will be aware the existing decking is now in need of replacement.
Article continues below this advertisement “The new decking is a sustainable solution, will provide a far smoother ride, and will last for many years to come. We are particularly pleased to once again be working with Island company DDGA to deliver the project.”
During work, the official diversion will be via Horsebridge Hill and Stag Lane. Further information about the project will be issued ahead of commencement.
It was the original Cowes to Newport line.
I suppose this is more important than Alpine Road in Ventnor which has already nearly had a cyclist off their bike. I suppose Island Roads won’t be happy until some cyclist is killed on Alpine Road.
And then it will be too wet to do any work so will be put back until the following September.
What a bunch
With a diversion route via St Catherine’s Point and the Spinnaker tower?
I just wish cyclists would stop cycling
side by side holding each others hands.
Time to charge cyclists to be on the road.
Before starting on new projects Island Roads really ought to finish/sort out work it has already started on this route. The useful steps, at least for pedestrians, leading up/down from the shore line footpath (N29) to the ‘cycletrack’ (shouldn’t this really be referred to what it actually is, a shared usage path?) a little upstream of the Medina Valley site which have remained un-usable since IR started some repair work on them some time (years) ago but which still remain barriered off and overgrown, apparently abandoned. I’m not hopeful as the needs of those that travel on foot always appear take second precedence to those on two wheels these days. It is also to be hoped that the shoreline footpath (not a designated cycle route) which by-passes the viaduct will remain available to pedestrians during this work, but that is probably too much to expect as IR seem to prefer – most likely on ‘Health & Safety’ grounds – maximizing inconvenience to its ‘customers’ by whatever means they travel.
It will also be interesting to see how long it takes IR to sort out the, now officially closed, length of footpath (N122) between Island Harbour & The Folly because of a failure of the boardwalk section adjacent to Medina Park on the opposite side of the Medina. To the casual observer, it appears that IR prefers to spend more time on putting up signs, barriers, fencing and sorting out the official closure paperwork than it does in actually getting the repairs done.