Hammersmith Bridge is open again

Just tried to cross, on foot. It’s closed.

Not sure why…

Boat Race Day.

It's closed otherwise thousands and thousands of people try to use it.

Ah yes, of course! Not really on my radar.

£2.9 million government funding to enable cyclists to use Hammersmith Bridge

further government funding enables new cycle lane to be open until strengthening works can begin

takes total funding from government to support the bridge to almost £13 million

government remains committed to supporting local borough and Transport for London to fully reopen the bridge to all traffic as soon as possible

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/29-million-government-funding-to-enable-cyclists-to-use-hammersmith-bridge

Sounds like the cycle lane is due to be closed from May to November, which is unfortunate if true.

Is that saying that the current cycle lane cost £3m!? That is frankly unbelievable. I need to get into that business.

When it opened in Feb it was only supposed to be open for 10 weeks so closing in May is about right. Though £300,000 per week does seem a bit steep.

I don't really know what's being planned, either, but ostensibly it's a resurfacing job. I haven't been across the bridge since the last time the Bridges Ride was able to cross it, whenever that was, but I imagine the surface must be a bit worn by now?

I don't know how they want to do it, but presumably not with a standard size resurfacing rig. That must be pretty heavy and needs lorries to assist with bringing the tarmac, so it must be costlier to do without one. (*Everything* is costlier and takes longer with bridges.)

However, there may also be a typical anti-shared use panic, i.e. that people walking and cycling can't coexist in such a wide carriageway. In general, shared use in such circumstances is fine. I'm just speculating, perhaps someone knows more. Either way, you'll probably get the (former) carriageway split in half for walking and cycling. Perhaps it's only branded as a 'cycle lane' because it would be harder to justify resurfacing it now?

It's not just a simple tarmac surface though.

You only have to look at a streetview pic to see how terrible it was before it was closed, and it gives you an idea of the way it is constructed: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pPsQPqiv9Pc3iUPi6

I watched them lay it - I generally cross the bridge once or twice a day. In fact I've been watching them repair the decking periodically for the last 10 or 12 years. I still don't see how it could realistically be £3M.

Yes it was poor, but they basically laid a new lightweight surface on top of what was there, they didn't take up the old surface as far as I could see and certainly didn't do anything to the structure underneath (which is wood); put a line of cones down each side; painted some lines and put in some temporary traffic lights (which are largely ignored) at each end. They do have staff at each end, but £3 million quid? Come on.

It's so long that I've been over the bridge that I didn't even remember it had a non-standard surface. I can easily imagine this scheme being over £3m, as prices have risen so much--it's the problem with any public service that is to some extent outsourced--the public service is a sitting duck because of its dependence on external contractors and the difficulty of taking aspects back in-house. TfL and local highway authorities spend loads each year on consultants, for instance.

Other factors include the fragile state of the bridge, the silly political games being played, the uncertainty over the future, and undoubtedly design elements. I haven't seen any drawings, but if they were proposing to perhaps divide the carriageway into a pedestrian bit and a cycling bit, or perhaps bringing the surface up to the existing level of the footway, this would all add to the cost. Neither of those may be planned, but there may be other factors.

But yes, it is undoubtedly a costly job, and it shouldn't be this expensive.

Who would have thought that playing silly politics over an essential infrastructure repair job would delay it by years? No-one, I tell you, no-one. It was completely unpredictable, of course.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/hammersmith-bridge-reopen-cars-fifth-anniversary-closure-london-b1150824.html

Is the bridge open for cycling at the moment?

Yes. Cycled over it an hour ago.

Cheers.
Can lay in an addition 6.5 minutes tomorrow :)

yea well that seems like a step backwards...

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Full context here:
https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/news/2024/05/stabilisation-works-restart-hammersmith-bridge

while damage caused to the bridge’s gantry by a boat carrying West Ham football fans..
I'm looking at you @furious_tiles There is a reason why you lot should stay east.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council will then repair the carriageway, install a new cycle lane, and review e-mobility options to shuttle residents across the bridge, notably older and Disabled people, subject to a 1.5-tonne vehicle weight limit imposed by safety experts.

There isn't a date for the the 'road' to reopen to cylists/others

Yeah they did say when the cycle lane opened that it would only be for 10 weeks, until the gantry was fixed.

amazing 😂 I had no idea it was only open again because of the ship wreck.

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/transport-and-roads/hammersmith-bridge#update-24-hour-overnight-weekend-closures-for-repair-works

Some complete weekend closures during Sep & Oct.
Target date to reopen for pedestrians & cyclists, April 25, so hopefully Roubaix time.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/hammersmith-bridge-boat-crash-west-ham-fans-master-fines-emerald-of-london-b1184560.html

https://www.richmond.gov.uk/news/news_october_2024/hammersmith_bridge_temporary_closures

So effectively the next SIX Friday evening to Saturday evening!

To keep everyone safe while the bridge is lifted, it will be temporarily closed to pedestrians and cyclists from 8pm for 24 hours on the following six dates:

From Friday 25 October 9pm to Saturday 26 October 9pm
From Friday 1 November 9pm to Saturday 2 November 9pm
From Friday 8 November 9pm to Saturday 9 November 9pm
From Friday 15 November 9pm to Saturday 16 November 9pm
From Friday 22 November 9pm to Saturday 23 November 9pm
From Friday 29 November 9pm to Saturday 30 November 9pm

Hammersmith & Fulham Council's website has more information about the works.

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-10/hamm-bridge-closure-a3-trifold-october-2024.pdf

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/news/2024/10/six-24-hour-weekend-closures-hammersmith-bridge-repair-work

Interesting stuff. Good to see something finally moving forward.