Drivers in Kent could see stretches of the A299 closed and four road bridges over the dual-carriageway shut in “worst-case scenarios” if a £63m funding bid fails.
Kent County Council (KCC) has warned of the potential consequences if it cannot secure government money to fix deep-rooted structural problems impacting the road’s surface, says Kent Online.
A 50mph speed restriction has been imposed since September along a stretch between Dargate, near Whitstable, and the Roman Galley pub that has been likened to a “rollercoaster”.
Those issues will be temporarily addressed by remedial works this summer, but KCC has now applied to the Department for Transport’s Structures Fund for money to carry out a package of improvements aimed at keeping the route open long-term.
It includes refurbishing two tunnels, repairing four overbridges damaged by ground movement and carrying out deeper reconstruction of sections of the carriageway. However, officials have admitted that without the funding, they may eventually be left with no choice but to consider shutting parts of the network.
Four road bridges over the dual-carriageway could also close if the structures deteriorate further, impacting Golden Hill and Molehill Road in Whitstable and Thornden Wood Road and Bullockstone Road in Herne Bay.
A KCC spokesperson said:
“For the overbridges, the worst-case scenario is having to shut the routes that use them, however, we would exhaust all other options such as weight restrictions or lane closures prior to this.
“For the tunnels and underpasses, likewise we may end up in a worst-case situation where we cannot safely keep these assets open to traffic if we cannot secure support with funding the necessary overhauls to the safety equipment within them before we exhaust the limited spares we still have stock for.”
The warning comes despite all of the affected infrastructure currently being deemed safe, however, experts say the underlying issues are worsening.
Sections of the road have been plagued by cracking, undulations and sinking caused by shifting clay beneath the surface, while four bridge abutments have already been affected to the point their expansion joints can no longer function properly.
(Picture: Mapillary)
