Council officials yesterday closed Powderhall Bridge – crossing the Water of Leith between St Mark’s Path and the St Mark's Park – indefinitely and without prior notice.
The Council action came in response to the structure failing a recent inspection.
According to Cllr Jack Caldwell (Ward 12) on Bluesky, ‘The department are currently reviewing the details of the report to understand the viability of bridge repairs.’
The wording here is ominous: ‘viability of bridge repairs’ not ‘timing of bridge repairs’. Caldwell regrets that no timescale is available at present.
Splits
Spurtle has not seen the latest report, but we understand that severe diagonal splitting in outward- and inward-facing top chord nodes has caused concern.
A report by Mott MacDonald Ltd in July 2022 noted timber splitting and minor surface weathering of the timber parapet. It recommended further attention because ‘none of the elevations, underside or substructure was visible and the inspection was only of the topside elements’.
Locals maintain access, but is it safe?
The 19m x 3.28m bridge is an important north–south link for this part of Spurtleshire and beyond, as became obvious when developers tried closing the route earlier this year.
The suggested steep diversion via the bridge at Powderhall Rigg and the Dunedin Street Cresta Run is not suitable for all wheelers and pedestrians with mobility challenges.
However, unknown members of the public have repositioned Heras fencing and signage to maintain access along the original route.
It is unclear whether closure of the bridge is to allow remedial work or because of fears for user safety. If it’s about safety, far more robust barriers and explicit warning signs are urgently required.
Background
Powderhall Bridge was completed in 2008 (Issues 161, 163) to replace an enjoyably rumbling and bouncy Bailey Bridge built by Royal Engineers in 1948.
When it opened, Council officers boasted that the structure, built out of ekki, a West African tropical hardwood, would require no preservative and be practically maintenance-free.
It had, they claimed, a design-life of 120 years (Issue 155). We hope they kept the warranty paperwork.
The bridge was temporarily closed in March 2014 for replacement of its plywood surface, which had disintegrated dangerously in the structure’s first 6 years (Issue 226).
