Key milestone in £23m National Highways bridge replacement
Motorists will benefit from quicker journeys along part of a Greater Manchester motorway this month as long-term traffic management restrictions are lifted.
Restrictions eastbound along the M67 between the M60 Junction 24 (Denton Island) and Junction 1A (Denton) will be removed completely. In addition, the temporary 50mph speed limit is also being removed eastbound on the M67 between Junctions 1A (Denton) and 3 (Hyde). Restrictions in place westbound will be removed at a later date.
The restrictions were implemented to enable the £23m National Highways scheme to replace St Anne’s Bridge at Denton to be undertaken safely.
Mangat Bansal, National Highways’ Programme Delivery Manager, said:
“This is another key milestone as our works to complete the bridge continue.
“The traffic management has been in place to keep the travelling public and our workforce safe during the replacement of the bridge.
“Our work on the bridge continues to make good progress. Bearings that help the bridge move slightly and safely with traffic and temperature changes have been installed.
“We’ve also added concrete around the supporting walls to help strengthen the new bridge and filled in the large, excavated areas on either side of the bridge.”
Recent works follow the successful installation in April of the final eight out of 10 steel beams weighing a combined 250 tonnes which will support the new bridge deck.
The next phase of work will see the construction of the bridge deck where traffic runs, while utility companies will also return to the site to make final connections within the bridge.
The bridge carries vital services including water, gas, electricity and telecommunications, connecting customers across a wide part of Greater Manchester with all services having to be rerouted.
Work to remove the roadworks, speed enforcement cameras and signage and install fresh road markings eastbound along the M67 between junction 1a (Denton) and 3 (Hyde) will be undertaken in phases starting this weekend.
For safety reasons these works will involve overnight closures of the motorway between 9pm and 5am. The first closures will be:
- Friday 4 and Saturday 5 July
- Friday 11 and Saturday 12 July
Clearly signed diversions will be in place. Additional night-time closures will be required in the coming weeks to complete the removal of the roadworks in both directions, and full details will be available on our website.
The ageing St Anne’s Road bridge is being replaced due to long-term safety concerns. The new bridge will allow unrestricted access for all road users at the location, including eastbound access to the M67 with work due to be completed next year.
More information about the project is available on our dedicated webpage which can be found here
Notes to Editors
Picture captions: The final eight of 10 steel beams were successfully installed at The M67 St Anne's Bridge earlier in the year. Latest works include fixing reinforcements to the bridge deck.
