Work to install a new footbridge on a Burston footpath is due to begin next week after engineers confirmed the ground has dried out enough for construction to start safely.
The bridge will be installed on Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36, with work scheduled to begin on Monday 13 July.
Staffordshire County Council said the installation is expected to take around six weeks, subject to weather conditions.
The first two weeks of work will involve excavating the site and building new foundations for the bridge.
During weeks three and four, a temporary access road will be built for the equipment needed to lift the bridge into place. The new bridge, which has already been manufactured offsite and delivered in kit form, will also be assembled in sections while the foundations cure.
In weeks five and six, engineers will use a crane to lift the bridge sections into place before completing the final connection works and landscaping around the site.
The new bridge has been designed to be more accessible and longer lasting than the previous structure, which was dislodged into the River Trent by a fallen tree.
Hayley Coles, Staffordshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, said
“I’m delighted that we can finally begin work on installing this long-awaited footbridge on the Sandon and Burston footpath.
“It was crucial that our engineers waited until the ground conditions were right for everyone’s safety and to ensure strong foundations for the new bridge, allowing it to serve the community for many years to come.
“I would like to thank local residents and regular users of the route for their incredible patience throughout this process. We look forward to reopening this important footpath as soon as the work is complete.”
The council said the installation has been planned to avoid causing disruption to the Burston Tea Party on Sunday 12 July.
Footpath 36 between the River Trent and Burston Lane will remain closed during construction. Members of the public are being reminded not to move barriers or enter the closed section of the footpath while the work is taking place.
