The Tees Transporter Bridge, which opened in 1911, has been closed since August 2019 due to safety concerns.
The council's Executive approved £655,000 being spent on urgent repair work which has been carried out and included replacement of some missing / damaged sections of steel on the upper spans and the drilling and bolting of other areas following failure of some welded sections.
Further assessments indicated that in addition to the defects identified within the last principal inspection, some strengthening works were also required to the upper spans of the bridge. The council is in the process of tendering for a full structural inspection of the bridge with a 'category 3' assessment to follow. The outcome of the structural inspection will inform what further works are required to the bridge and whether it is feasible to bring the bridge back to full operational capacity.
Following the structural assessment, which is estimated to take up to 12 months to complete along with the category 3 assessment, a report will be presented to Executive outlining what remedial works are required, including costs and timeframe for repairs, and will give options on the future operating model for the bridge.
Works are planned in the interim to allow public access to the walk way and stairs in the near future. This will complement the opening of the visitor centre, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
Further consultation will take place including detailed discussions with Stockton Council, the Department for Transport, Historic England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Andy Preston, mayor of Middlesbrough at the time, said: "The Transporter Bridge is part of who we are and we will always preserve and protect this special part of Teesside. Exactly what role it will play for the next 100 years is a decision we should all consider together."
Visitor centre
The Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 4pm.
Hot and cold drinks and cold snacks are available. There is also a gift shop.
Members of the team are on hand to share details about the heritage of the bridge and visitors can also enjoy views from a 360 degree camera.
This is just one of the videos that you can view in our re-opened visitor centre: