Tees Viaduct
A19 Tees Viaduct from the Maze Park viewing hill
(A19) Tees Viaduct from Maze Park's viewing hill
Coordinates54°34′4.08″N 1°16′4.44″W / 54.5678000°N 1.2679000°W / 54.5678000; -1.2679000
CarriesA19 road
CrossesRiver Tees, Teesdale Way, Thornaby Middlesbrough railway line, B6541 and A66 roads and Lustrum Beck
LocaleMiddlesbrough, England, UK
Official nameA19 Tees Viaduct
OwnerNational Highways
Maintained byAutolink Concessionaires (A19) Limited (1997-2027)
Preceded byTees Barrage
Followed byTees Newport Bridge
Characteristics
DesignSlab and Girder
MaterialSteel plate girders and composite concrete deck on reinforced concrete piers
Total length2.9 km, spanning 1.95 km
Longest span117 metres (384 ft)
No. of spans68
Piers in waternone
History
Construction start1973
Construction end1975
OpenedNovember 1975
Statistics
Daily traffic112,000 vehicles per day (2016)
Location
Map

The A19 Tees Viaduct or Tees Flyover is a high level six-lane dual carriageway road bridge in the North East of England carrying the main A19 trunk road north–south across the River Tees.[1]

The bridge is located between Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees just north of the A19's interchange with the A66 trunk road and carries the north–south traffic through Teesside avoiding the main towns but is also used extensively by local traffic. On the southern bank the bridge crosses the marshalling yard railway lines and the main Thornaby-Middlesbrough section of Tees Valley Line, the B6541 (Old A66/A67, Stockton Road) and the A66 road. On the northern bank the bridge crosses the Teesdale Way long-distance cycle/footpath, Lustrum Beck, a service road, footpath (disused railway line) and the main roundabout on the Portrack Interchange.

Design

The viaduct is a beam or girder bridge. It has reinforced concrete piers and pier bends supporting steel-plate girder beams and a composite deck with some 200 moving parts.[2] The viaduct is 2.9 km long[3] and 1.95 km between abutments and was at the time the largest such bridge in the British Isles.[1][4]

It has 68 spans on the main north south route—the largest span being that over the river at 117 m. The bridge was designed with sufficient clearance to allow ships to pass, although the port of Stockton-on-Tees up-river was virtually redundant by then.[3][5] Since the Tees Newport Bridge had its lifting deck permanently fixed in the down position in 1990, large shipping can no longer reach the Tees viaduct, further reducing the need for such a high structure.

Construction

The bridge was built between 1973 and 1975[3] encompassing the 'Three-Day Week' and that may account for some of its subsequent problems.

Operation and maintenance

Continuing repair work on the viaduct

The viaduct was opened in November 1975. The bridge has had problems with corrosion since it was opened and repairs have been necessary at times.[3] Expansion joints cracked allowing de-icing salts to wash from the bridge carriageway into the piers, cross beams and columns giving rise to extensive chloride attack. It was then decided the best solution was the complete demolition and reconstruction of most of the piers and repair of others.[6][7][8][9] The bridge was originally constructed with two-lane carriageways and a concrete apron up to the parapet but this was expanded to three lanes.

River pier, drainpipe, GRP enclosure and access points

From 1988 to 1989 the underside of the bridge was enclosed with a steel and GRP panelling structure to protect the primary structure from the effects of weather and to allow safe and easy inspection and maintenance.[4][3][10] The A19 including the Tees Viaduct is operated by Autolink Concessionaires (A19) Limited, a consortium comprising Sir Robert McAlpine, Taylor Woodrow and Amey under a thirty-year DBFO (Design Build Finance Operate) agreement with the Highways Agency running from 1997 to 2027.[11][12] The bridge carried an average of 112,000 vehicles a day in 2016 and concerns that the capacity of the road is being exceeded at peak times has led to a study detailing the proposals for a new crossing.[13] Because of this CCTV cameras were installed on the bridge to record incident related congestion and to enable a quicker response.[14]

Starting in 1997 the approach roads to the bridge were widened from two lanes to three.[7][11][12][15][16][17] A detailed principal inspection report in 2006 concluded that the Tees Viaduct overall is in fair condition.

Image gallery

  • Tees Viaduct from the north bank looking downriver
    Tees Viaduct from the north bank looking downriver
  • Tees Viaduct from the north bank looking downriver
    Tees Viaduct from the north bank looking downriver
  • The southern piers of the viaduct
    The southern piers of the viaduct
  • The northern piers of the viaduct
    The northern piers of the viaduct

References

  1. ^ a b "River Tees - Crossings". Three Rivers Cycle Routes. 2004. Archived from the original on 19 August 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  2. ^ "How Tees Valley spans the world". Evening Gazette. 21 October 2003. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e "A19 Tees Viaduct". Bridges on the Tyne. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  4. ^ a b Hollaway, Leonard (1990). Polymers and Polymer Composites in Construction. Thomas Telford. ISBN 9780727715210. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  5. ^ Chris Kenyon. "A Trip up the Tees". Tees Rowing Club. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  6. ^ John Brian Newman, Ban Seng Choo (21 August 2003). Advanced Concrete Technology. BH. ISBN 9780080489995. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  7. ^ a b "Bridge of Sighs". ContractJournal.com. 18 May 1995. Retrieved 18 November 2008.[dead link]
  8. ^ "Teesside Viaduct-Helping To Strengthen The A19". Lindapter. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  9. ^ D.A. Kimberley (2002). Repair Rejuvenation and Enhancement of Concrete: Tees Viaduct Chloride Extraction Trial. ISBN 9780727731753. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  10. ^ Burgoyne, Chris. "I.Struct.E. Study Group on Advanced Composites". University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 12 January 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  11. ^ a b "Stockton-on-Tees Local Plan Apr 1991 – Mar 2006". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
  12. ^ a b Kimberley, D.A. (2002). Repair Rejuvenation and Enhancement of Concrete: Tees Viaduct Chloride Extraction Trial. ISBN 9780727731753. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  13. ^ Ramsbotham, James (22 March 2019). "Ambtious plan for crossing". The Northern Echo. p. 20. ISSN 2043-0442.
  14. ^ Ladyman, Dr Stephen (22 May 2007). "Publications and Records: Transport". www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  15. ^ "Prosperous Communities II". Local Government Association. February 2007. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  16. ^ "A19 Carriageway Upgrade". Sir Robert McAlpine. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  17. ^ "A19 Tenders to Go Out This Month". Construction News. 17 November 1994. Retrieved 11 December 2010.

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