O’Connor Sutton Cronin was responsible for the contract management for The Exo through the provision of a Resident Engineer from the Civil Section for the Painting and Scaffolding Contract. This 14-month contract was carried out in parallel with additional contracts for the steelwork repair works and bearing replacement by the Irish Rails Bridge gang, completion of the track works by the permanent way staff, and installation of the new multi-colored high-power LED lighting scheme by Global Rail.

• Installation of 1,800m2 of new deck waterproofing, the application of 15,000m2 of a new paint protection system through the use of 4,500m2 of hanging scaffold and encapsulation, the replacement of 8 no. bridge bearings, and steelwork repairs requiring the replacement of 14,000 rivets and 25,000kg of new steelwork.
• Essential track work was also carried out through the installation of 500m of new railway track, installing 850 new sleepers and 850m3 of new railway ballast.
• The refurbishment of this iconic structure also involved the installation of a new multi-colored high-power LED lighting scheme co-funded by Louth County Council.

The painting and scaffolding contract required the installation of 5-story and 7-storey independent hanging scaffolds for the 3 steel spans of the Drogheda Viaduct. The steel work repairs involved the replacement of existing corroded steel plate members and rivets from the bridge lattice work and bracing, while the installation of the protective paint system required power washing the structure to 10,000psi, grit blasting and mechanical prepping the new and existing steelwork and then applying the 4 coat protective paint system.