Why it matters: The closures add to mounting frustration over bridge disruption, with concerns repeatedly raised that ongoing maintenance work is causing "chaos" across Ipswich's transport network.
What's new: The westbound carriageway will be shut from 20:00 to 06:00 on the nights of 16 and 17 July, whilst the eastbound carriageway through the contraflow remains open.
National Highways said it needed to shut a lane in the contraflow system to carry out repairs to the road surface. The work follows the setting of concrete used to secure two new expansion joints on the bridge.
The details: The expansion joint replacement project remains on schedule to finish in August, according to National Highways. However, further closures are expected as the maintenance work progresses.
Drivers are advised to allow plenty of extra time when planning journeys over the coming days.
The bigger picture: The latest disruption comes just days after Ellisons Solicitors became the tenth major employer to back calls for the rapid revival of the Ipswich Northern Bypass. Suffolk County Council voted 29-12 with eight abstentions last week to support reviving the long-stalled project, which was shelved in 2020.
The coalition of employers, which includes Birketts, Willis Tower Watson, and the University of Suffolk, collectively employs over 3,000 people and generates more than £100 million in GDP. They argue that repeated Orwell Bridge closures cause "severe traffic congestion" and "major disruption throughout the town centre".
The bottom line: With the bridge maintenance work set to continue until August and further closures expected, pressure continues to mount for long-term solutions to Ipswich's transport woes.
