Ever wondered why they’re STILL working on the northern end of the Seacliff Bridge?
Since the bridge was designed, there’s been conjecture over whether it should have been built straight out over the water instead of hugging the coastline at the Coalcliff end, given the unstable nature of the cliffs.
They chose not build a longer bridge, which has cost a pretty penny in the long run. Turns out the RMS has had to do some serious work following a series of land slips in what the RMS calls the ‘Northern Amphitheatre’.
In 2006, the embankment dropped 8 centimetres. In 2008 it dropped a further two meters. In July 2011, a storm event saw a further 1.5 meter fall, and a new slip area created.
Later that year, RMS investigated and installed new monitoring equipment to help understand the changing conditions, and ultimately, save the road.
Then in 2012, there was another 2 meter ‘movement’, which has been attributed to a high water level in the embankment.
Since then, the RMS has worked to decrease the ground water pressure by diverting surface water away. They have also dug seven wells and installed drainage pits to divert water from the slip area.
the RMS continues to monitor and review the impact of the work as they continue to ‘manage’ the embankment in that ‘Northern Amphitheatre’.
There’s actually a great little video (and a bit more information) on this page HERE
Photo thanks to the RMS
