The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Monday 5 March but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible. Drivers looking for roadworks information (such as overnight carriageway closures) for individual schemes should now visit www.trafficengland.com.
Some of our larger schemes have project pages giving other information. These can now be accessed from a dedicated regional page: http://roads.highways.gov.uk/north-west
M6 Junctions 16 to 19 (Cheshire smart motorway)
Work is underway to upgrade the M6 to a smart motorway between Crewe and Knutsford, converting the hard shoulder to an extra lane and introducing new variable speed limits. Narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit are in place for the safety of drivers and workers.
M6 Junction 19 Knutsford
Occasional work – such as ground investigations – is taking place as part of plans for a major improvement of the roundabout and junction. This requires occasional overnight lane and slip road closures.
M6 Gathurst Viaduct
Overnight lane closures will be in place between junctions 26 and 27 during March to allow preliminary work to be carried out for a re-waterproofing and resurfacing scheme which is due to take place later this year. Lanes will be closed between 9pm and 6am.
M53 Junction 3
A maintenance project to repair the two bridges which carry the junction roundabout over the motorway is underway with narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit. Sections of the roundabout itself will be closed overnight occasionally to install narrow lanes and a 30mph speed limit, and – later this year – for resurfacing/re-waterproofing of the bridge decks. A 7.5 tonne weight restriction on the north bridge has also now begun.
M53 Junctions 7 to 10 (Overpool to Stanlow)
Resurfacing work is due to start on Monday 1 March with overnight carriageway closures in place between 8.30pm and 5am, Monday to Friday. The scheme is due to be completed by early April.
M53 Junction 9 (cycle improvement)
Work is taking place to improve cycling facilities around the junction, including improving connectivity under the motorway. The work will include amending the existing footpaths into a shared cycleway, installation of new signs, improvements to existing pedestrian crossing points and resurfacing. Work will take place between 7.30am and 6pm during the week with some weekend work. The A5032 Station Road, Oil Sites Road and South Pier Road local roads may be affected by lane closures during the project and temporary 3-way traffic lights will also be required. Pedestrian paths under the motorway will be maintained throughout the work. The scheme is due to be completed in May.
M56 Junctions 1 to 4 (Wythenshawe)
Work to upgrade the safety barriers and improve drainage on the M56 is due to start on Monday 5 March. Temporary narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit will be in place during the project and some overnight lane and carriageway closures will also be needed. The scheme is due to be finished in the autumn.
M57/M58 Switch Island
Construction work is taking place on a £3 million scheme to improve journeys and safety at Switch Island. Improvements include changes to the road layout and lane markings, new traffic lights, LED road studs, new barriers between carriageways, coloured high friction surfaces and better signs. A new 400 metre shared cycle path will also be created through the junction. All of the work will take place overnight to minimise disruption to drivers and the scheme is due to be completed by the end of winter 2018/19.
M60 junction 8 to M62 junction 20 (Sale to Rochdale)
A major smart motorway scheme is taking place to cut congestion and improve journey times on parts of the M60 and the M62 in Greater Manchester. The scheme involves overnight slip road and carriageway closures, with narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit in place for the safety of drivers and road workers. Overnight closures will take place between 10pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly-signed diversion routes.
M62 junctions 7 to 8 (safety barrier upgrade)
Work to upgrade the safety barrier in the central reservation is due to be completed by the end of March. All the work will be done overnight between 9pm and 5am, Monday to Friday, using temporary lane closures.
M66 Junctions 1 to 2 (Bury)
A project is taking place to deliver resurfacing, new drainage and new safety barriers along the northbound carriageway. All the work will take place overnight – between 8pm and 5am – from Monday to Friday only. There will be nightly closures of the northbound carriageway for around two months. A clearly-signed diversion will be in place using the A58 and A56.
A66 Threlkeld to Scales
A resurfacing scheme on the A66 from Threlkeld Cricket Club to the layby east of the Wallthwaite junction is continuing with full overnight closures commencing on 19 February from 8pm until 6am each night until the end of March. A signed-diversion, suitable for all types of vehicles, will be in place with eastbound drivers travelling to Penrith via Cockermouth (A595), Carlisle (A689) and the M6, and westbound drivers for Keswick using the same route in reverse. Emergency vehicles will be escorted through the overnight closures as well as the last Stagecoach bus in each direction. Residents that live within the closure will also continue to have access to their properties.
A585 M55 to Windy Harbour
Resurfacing and other repairs are taking place along a mile-long section of the route around Greenhalgh with nightly (8pm to 6am) closures between the M55 and Windy Harbour junctions, and with a clearly-signed diversion in place. Access will be maintained for residents and emergency services. Overnight surveys are also taking place to provide information for the A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool project. Lane closures will be in place overnight between 8pm and 6am along short sections of the route with temporary traffic lights in place where needed. The scheme is due to be completed in April.
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