A £3 million Highways Agency project to repair bridges over the M6 motorway in South Cheshire starts this week.
And it will mean the full closure of southbound and northbound carriageways on some days.
The Highways Agency is carrying out wear and tear repairs to two bridges which carry Congleton Road and Betchton Road at Malkins Bank over the M6 between junction 16 at Barthomley and junction 17 at Sandbach.
The work will remodel the support structures of the two bridges to tackle ageing and reduce future maintenance and repair visits which can disrupt drivers’ journeys.
Traffic management for work at the two sites will be installed this weekend with a full closure of both carriageways on Saturday night and Sunday night, with diversion routes in place.
Highways Agency project manager Louise Baxendale said: “This is important wear and tear work to extend the life of these two bridges and reduce future maintenance and repair visits.
“To install traffic management under the bridges there will need to be alternate closures of the northbound and southbound carriageways of the motorway this weekend – with good diversions in place – and we would like to thank drivers in advance for their patience.”
The work at Congleton Road bridge at junction 17 will be carried out under the bridge in the central reservation of the motorway carriageway.
The Highways Agency’s £2.3 million Pinch Point project to improve leaving and joining the junction is also taking place and junction 17 will be totally closed for the weekend.
More information on this closure is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/weekend-closure-as-23-million-sandbach-junction-improvements-take-shape
With both projects taking place at the same time, it will mean the closure of the northbound M6 between junction 16 for Nantwich and Crewe and junction 18 at Holmes Chapel from 10pm on Saturday (January 24) and 5am on Sunday (January 25).
This will be followed by closure of the southbound carriageway between junctions 18 and 16 from 10pm on Sunday until 5am on Monday (January 26).
Repairs are expected to be completed by mid-May.
Drivers are advised that narrowed lanes, hard shoulder running and a 50mph speed limit will be in place along sections of the M6 where bridge repairs are taking place.
Obviously this is essential work which needs doing, however with all the other m6 roadworks surely there should be a better management and scheduling of maintenance and upgrades the frustration of driving on the motorway system in the UK is beyond ridiculous is there no overall highways planning to limit the amount of roadworks on our m way system.