Winterstoke Road bridge in Weston-super-Mare was built during World War II over a mainline railway between Bristol and Taunton.
Due to its age and condition, it has a 7.5-tonne weight limit and is expected to permanently close within the next five to 10 years.
Working with Octavius Infrastructure and the Ministry of Defence, which owns the bridge, North Somerset Council has developed plans for a replacement bridge that would remove the weight limit.
In 2019, the Ministry of Defence allocated £10.8m for a replacement bridge on Winterstoke Road.
Chris Hudson, Octavius delivery director for highways, said: “This is an interesting project as we will be replacing a bridge that was originally built by the Ministry of Defence in 1943.
“The route over the bridge provides access to industrial and residential areas to and from the Weston-super-Mare town centre and the design development phase has already begun.
“The replacement will be meticulously planned, and we will adopt methodologies that ensure we minimise disruption to businesses and the local community. We currently expect activities will commence at the site from early 2025, with the new bridge due to be completed in spring 2027.”
North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said: “Many people rely on Winterstoke Road to get to their homes, schools and jobs and so we are committed to replacing this historic bridge, building greater capacity and resilience into our transport network.
“The new bridge will allow more journeys, realising the benefit of regional growth by removing weight limits to help businesses, whilst ensuring local communities remain connected however they choose to travel.”
