M5 to be closed overnight for bridgeworks on November 10/11 (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Weekend night closure planned for M5 near Bristol for removal of footbridge

12:23pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News

AS PART of ongoing construction work to deliver the M5/M4 managed motorway scheme, the M5 near Bristol will be closed in both directions while the Pegwell Brake footbridge is dismantled later this month.

The M5 will be closed between junctions 17 and 16 northbound and junctions 15 to 17 southbound from 7pm on Saturday 10 November and the motorway will re-open by 11am on Sunday 11 November.

The 220-tonne, 50-metre concrete bridge will be dismantled into two sections, each of which will be hoisted and removed by cranes. This method of removal is required to avoid excessive vibration due to the presence of a pipeline on the northbound carriageway.

The existing bridge, just south of Junction 16, will be replaced with a new steel pedestrian bridge which is suitable for high-sided vehicles to pass under when the managed motorway is fully operational and the hard shoulder is used as a running lane. The new bridge is planned to be in place and available for use in the New Year.

Highways Agency project manager Paul Unwin said: “Dismantling the bridge is a huge engineering feat and the only way that we can do this safely and quickly is by fully closing the motorway in both directions.

“To minimise disruption for anyone planning to use the M5 during the closure, we have scheduled the works to avoid peak traffic times and events such as the half-term holiday. We have also been working closely with local businesses and organisations to ensure they are aware of the diversion routes in place over that weekend.

“We strongly advise that people plan ahead, leaving plenty of time for their journeys and to drive safely via the diversion routes which will be clearly signposted.”

Once completed, the £88m managed motorway scheme will cut congestion, make journey times more reliable and improve safety through the use of variable mandatory speed limits and by opening the hard shoulder as an extra running lane.

 

Further information about the scheme including how the roadworks may affect you, visit scheme’s website: http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/M4-Junction-19-20-and-M5-Junction-15-17-Managed-Motorways.

 

Up to date traffic information is also available by visiting www.highways.gov.uk/traffic, calling the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000, or for information on roads in the South West follow @HAtraffic_swest or for the full index visit www.highways.gov.uk/twitter.

A time lapse video of the work will be available from 14 November at http://www.flickr.com/photos/highwaysagency/sets/72157631901360701/ -

Diversion routes M5 northbound junction 17-16 (19:00hrs Saturday 10 November – 11:00hrs Sunday 11 November) Traffic travelling North on the M5 wishing to continue beyond junction 17 will be advised by signage prior to junction 18 to exit and join the M49 North. Traffic will then follow the M49 to the M4, take the M4 East to junction 20 and re-join the M5 North. Traffic wishing to exit at M5 junction 16 will take the M4 East to M5 South link road and exit.

Traffic that misses the advanced signage prior to junction 18 will continue North to junction 17 and return South to junction 18, exit, follow signs for Avonmouth (A4), turn at the roundabout, follow signs to join the M49 North and continue as above. Traffic wishing to join the M5 North at junction 17 will also follow this route.

M5 southbound junction 15-17 (19:00hrs Saturday 10 November – 10:00hrs Sunday 11 November) Traffic travelling South on the M5 will be diverted at junction 15 onto the M4 West, continue to junction 22, exit and join the M49 South.

 

Dependent on direction of travel, traffic completes the diversion as follows: • M5 South: Traffic follows signs to join the M5 southbound carriageway at junction 18 • M5 junction 17: Traffic follows signs for Avonmouth (A4), turns at the roundabout, follows signs to join the M5 North, and exits at junction 17 • M5 junction 16: Traffic completes the above route, then from junction 17 follows diversion route signs along Merlin Way followed by Hayes Way, joins the A38 North at Filton and continues to junction 16 of the M5 Traffic wishing to join the M5 South at junction 16 will be diverted South on the A38, turn right onto Hayes Way (before the flyover) then onto Merlin Way and follow diversion route signs to join the M5 South at junction 17.

The M4/M5 scheme will be the first managed motorway in the South West region.