Twin Sails Bridge is expected to reopen to traffic on 2 February following the completion of repair works and successful testing, according to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
The council says the final stage of work will take place between 28 January and 1 February, during which time the bridge will remain in the lowered position while engineers complete repairs and carry out test lifts to confirm the bridge can safely return to normal operation.
Councillor Andy Hadley, Cabinet Member for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, said the remaining work was nearing completion and thanked residents for their patience while repairs were carried out, adding that the bridge would reopen subject to the testing being completed successfully.
Work on the bridge began in December last year, with early preparation taking place while the council waited for specialist components to be delivered, following delays linked to a key manufacturing process required to meet safety standards.
Chief Operations Officer Glynn Barton previously said the council had continued preparatory work throughout December to minimise disruption, with the aim of returning the bridge to use as soon as possible once the components arrived.
The council says Twin Sails Bridge and Poole Bridge together support more than 20,000 daily journeys and are lifted around 6,000 times each year, which is why longer term improvement work is continuing alongside the immediate repairs to improve reliability.
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