New road junction unveiled as Bridgewater Expressway and Daresbury Expressway reopen to traffic
Merseylink is set to reopen a single lane in each direction on the A558 Daresbury Expressway and the A533 Bridgewater Expressway.
The newly remodelled Bridgewater Junction and the Bridgewater and Daresbury Expressways in Runcorn will reopen to westbound traffic on Sunday 23 October 2016.
Motorists travelling west along the Daresbury Expressway towards the Silver Jubilee Bridge will be able to use the new ‘dumbbell’ interchange at the Bridgewater Junction to continue their journey along the Bridgewater Expressway.
Astmoor Bridgewater Viaduct as it crosses Bridgewater Junction
At the same time, the exit slip road from the Daresbury Expressway onto the A553 Central Expressway will close for four months while the existing bridge over the Bridgewater Canal is refurbished. A signed diversion will be in place.
The diversion for the closure of the slip road from the Daresbury Expressway to the Central Expressway
One lane of the Bridgewater and Daresbury Expressways will reopen to eastbound traffic two weeks later – on Sunday 6 November – which will mean traffic will no longer be diverted through Astmoor Industrial Estate.
The Astmoor Industrial Estate diversion has been in place since 31 March 2015 to allow Merseylink to reconfigure Bridgewater junction. This junction will provide a direct link between the new Mersey Gateway bridge, Central Expressway and the Daresbury and Bridgewater Expressways.
Aerial view of Astmoor Bridgewater viaduct
Construction teams are getting ready to build the elevated section of road that will cross the Astmoor Industrial Estate. This work will involve lifting giant concrete beams into position between the viaduct piers to create the base of the highway.
A road closure will come into effect on Sunday 6 November at Astmoor Road between Davy Road and Chadwick Road for six months to allow construction workers to complete this work safely. A signed diversion will be in place.
The diversion for the closure of a section of Astmoor Road
Hugh O’Connor, General Manager at Merseylink, said: “The Bridgewater junction is one of the major road infrastructure upgrades on the project and we’re making significant progress enabling us to reopen the Bridgewater and Daresbury Expressways. This will be welcome news for the motorists who regularly use these routes.
“Our teams are now ready to construct the viaduct that will sit high above Astmoor Road and we’ll be closing part of the main road through Astmoor Industrial Estate to ensure the safety of the public, road users and construction crews while this work is underway.
“We’re working closely with local businesses in the area to keep people informed as much as possible. Once again, I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we complete these essential works.”
Rob Polhill, Leader of Halton Borough Council, said: “It’s great to see new roads open in Halton. This junction is one of the most extensive across the project route and it’s a testament to the hard work of the construction teams now that the remodeled roads will re-open. I look forward to seeing how the work in this area progresses over the coming months.
The Mersey Gateway bridge is on schedule to open in autumn 2017.
