Winvic Construction Ltd has announced the completion of urgent maintenance works on the A14 Orwell Bridge westbound carriageway in Ipswich, a critical transport link to Felixstowe port.

The £4 million scheme, delivered for National Highways under the Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF), involved the expedited replacement of ageing expansion joints. Work began on 16 June and was fast-tracked to ensure public safety and maintain the flow of freight traffic on one of the East of England's busiest routes.

Originally scheduled as a 175-day programme, the project was completed in just 37 days thanks to round-the-clock operations, with teams working 24 hours a day, seven days a week under contraflow traffic management.

The scheme was delivered in collaboration with National Highways, engineer WSP, and Chevron Traffic Management. The construction involved hydro demolition works and working at height across a constrained two-lane site, while managing around 12,000 HGV crossings of the bridge daily.

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To minimise disruption, National Highways worked closely with Suffolk County Council and local politicians, deploying an advanced traffic management system supported by numerical modelling. Road users were kept informed through live journey time updates, signage, public engagement sessions, and briefings.

Winvic also drew on lessons from previous SDF projects, such as using a floor saw to remove Lamella Rails, which eliminated hot works, cut manual handling, and saved two weeks on the programme.

Local suppliers were engaged to reduce environmental impact and support the regional economy. Alongside the works, Winvic delivered social value initiatives, including a safety awareness programme at Morland Primary School, support for Ipswich community projects, and volunteering at St. Elizabeth's Hospice's fundraising art trail.

Rob Cook, Managing Director for Civils & Infrastructure at Winvic Construction Ltd, said: "We have built a strong and trusted partnership with National Highways over many years of collaboration, including our time on the SDF. We’re proud to have successfully delivered the pivotal works to Orwell Bridge, delivering to a consolidated programme, which prioritised public safety while minimising disruption for road users and local businesses.

"The project was a true team effort, with seamless collaboration between National Highways and our supply chain partners. We're proud of the high standards achieved and the positive contribution the scheme has made to both infrastructure and the local community."