The Orwell Bridge
The Orwell Bridge carries the A14 over the River Orwell, south of Ipswich in Suffolk. Here you can find information about current and planned speed restrictions and closures on the bridge
Scheduled maintenance
Like any major structure, the bridge needs frequent maintenance to keep it in a safe and serviceable condition.
Sometimes we need to close the bridge to keep road users and our team safe while we work.
We understand closures cause disruption to road users and local communities. We strive to keep the bridge open as often as we can.
Our work isn’t always visible. We may be carrying out repairs underneath the road surface, or waiting for construction materials to dry or set before continuing our work.
Planned maintenance work
Our work to replace the joints on the A14 Orwell Bridge has progressed very well and is ahead of schedule. We are pleased to say all lanes in both directions are now open.
There is still a 40-mph limit in place whilst we finish work on the safety barrier.
For safety, there are some overnight lane closures needed whilst we complete this important project, including work on drainage and footways.
Upcoming overnight closures
From Monday 28 July to Friday 1 August, overnight lane closures are planned between 8pm and 6am in the eastbound direction for inspections and gully drain cover repairs.
The bridge will remain fully open in both directions during the day.
Thank you for your patience.
Why we restrict speed limits and close the bridge
The bridge is only closed when it’s essential for safety reasons, and for as little time as possible. It was previously closed to all traffic if there were gusts of wind of 50mph or more in certain directions, or gusts of 60mph or higher, regardless of wind direction.
From 25 January 2021, we made changes to the bridge to allow it to remain open more frequently during high winds, following extensive safety testing.
Now a new 50mph driving speed limit has been imposed and is used if there are wind speeds forecast of over 45mph. If wind speeds of 60mph or more are predicted, then the bridge is closed due to the safety risk to motorists. The 60mph driver speed limit remains in place on the bridge during low winds.
Protocol documents
Latest Orwell Bridge closure protocol document.
Previous Orwell Bridge closure protocol document.
View the latest bridge closure and wind speed reduction data.
Technical reports
A report was specifically commissioned from independent experts at City, University of London using ground-breaking techniques, to better assess how wind speeds affect different types of vehicles on the bridge. It has identified new things that could help to keep the bridge open during high winds.
The findings are theoretical, and have now been tested using a wind tunnel. Read:
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