The programme is part of West Lothian Council’s capital programme for 2021/22 - 2027/28. The council will continue to invest in West Lothian’s growing road and footpath network, including town centre street improvements, bridges and street lighting, with over £53m to be invested by 2028.

Bridges in West Lothian will receive over £7m of upgrade works by April 2028. In West Lothian, the council is responsible for the maintenance of 558 bridges.

The works this year include underpass refurbishments, surfacing repairs, joint replacements and other general maintenance.

Some specific projects include: Deans High School Underpass (£100,000) and Almond Valley Bridge (£370,000). The council has a number of projects beginning this month including a series of masonry repairs to Polkemmet Road Bridge, Mains Burn Bridge, Annetscross Bridge, Lochmill Bridge, Lodge Bridge, Stepend Bridge.

Tom Conn, executive councillor for the environment, said: “West Lothian’s road and footpath network is growing and with that comes continued investment. Our road network is independently assessed and we have one of the best road networks in the country.

“The programme overall is huge and includes significant projects and general maintenance, but it all comes together with one aim and that is to improve the road and footpath network for customers. You can’t undertake all road and infrastructure improvements without some disruption to traffic, but I’m sure people know that and we appreciate their patience.”

Councillor Conn joined engineers from the council’s roads team and contractor Taziker under the Almond Valley Bridge earlier this week to see the progress. The Cousland Interchange Bridge and the neighbouring Almond Valley Bridge carry the A899, Livingston Road and the dual carriageway over the A705, Cousland Road.

The Cousland Interchange Bridge is composed of two decks carrying the north and southbound carriageways. Work are currently underway on the Cousland Interchange bridge to carry out concrete repairs to underside of the west deck.

Work on the Almond Valley Bridge comprises of painting of the steel portal frames forming the sub-substructure, cleaning of the concrete abutments, cleaning of the twin drainage system that operates on the structure and installation of humidity indicators to the portal frames which will allow more thorough and informative inspections and checks of the sub-structure in future years.  The portal frame bearings located at the foot of the portal frame legs will also be exposed for inspection for the first time in many years.  Both the abutments and portal frame legs will receive an anti-graffiti coating.