The Mersey Gateway Project

M56 junction 12 works to take place at weekends in April as part of new Mersey bridge works

March 21, 2016LornaNews

Drivers using the area around Junction 12 of the M56 through Cheshire are being urged to allow extra time for weekend journeys in April due to a series of weekend road closures connected with the Mersey Gateway Project.

As part of the work to construct link roads to the new bridge, the A557 Weston Point Expressway roundabout off junction 12 of the M56 is being re-modelled with restricted access for motorway users at the end of the month with the two slip road closures.

Major work in this area will be complete in June 2016, but these weekend closures are essential to allow the team to open the road in the area.

The work is taking place in four phases across four different weekends. The Merseylink team is also using this opportunity to resurface the roundabout.

Phase 1 – April 8 – 11

There will be a weekend closure (7.30pm Friday 8 April – 5am Monday 11 April) of the northbound A557 (towards Runcorn) between Clifton roundabout and M56 Junction 12 roundabout. A signed diversion will be in place via junction 14 of the M56.

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Phase 2 – April 15 – 18

There will be a weekend closure (7.30pm Friday 15 April – 5am Monday 18 April) of two sections of the M56 junction 12 roundabout. Signed diversions will be in place.

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Phase 3 – April 22 – 25

There will be a weekend closure (7.30pm Friday 22 April – 5am Monday 25 April) of the eastbound on and off slip roads at junction 12 of the M56. The eastern section of the junction 12 roundabout will also be closed.

Highways England will use the closures to do routine repairs and maintenance along the slip roads to avoid closing them for routine work on other dates.

A signed diversion will be in place. Drivers will be able to join or leave the motorway from the westbound entry and exit slip roads using diversions via junction 14 or junction 11 of the motorway as appropriate.

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Phase 4 – April 29 – May 2

There will be a weekend closure (7.30pm Friday 29 April – 5am Monday 2 May) of the western section of the M56 junction 12 roundabout. Signed diversions will be in place.

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Highways England project manager Dave Dickinson said: “Although Mersey Gateway is on the local road network, its role in connecting the M62 and M56 is important and remodelling the roundabout at Weston Point Expressway is an important phase of the project.  We appreciate people used to joining and leaving the eastbound M56 at junction 12 will be inconvenienced over the next month or so but good motorway diversions are in place and drivers should allow a little bit of extra time to use them.”

Highways England will be monitoring the motorway closely – particularly on the approaches to both the eastbound exit slip road at junction 11 and westbound exit slip road at junction 12 – and will use electronic message signs to warn drivers of congestion.

Hugh O’Connor, General Manager with Merseylink, said: “I would like to highlight that there is good news – the major work in this area will be completed in June. However, we do need some closures and traffic management changes in the area to enable this target to be achieved.

He added: “In the meantime I’d like to ask drivers to continue to exercise patience and allow a bit of extra time or think about alternative routes if they plan to travel around or near junction 12 of the M56 at the weekend during April.”

Drivers are being urged to allow extra time to complete journeys and to check travel conditions before setting off.

 

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