Work on new M62 bridge gets underway as part of Kingsway Business Park upgrade

Date published: 09/10/2005

Work to build a new bridge over the M62 near Rochdale got underway on Monday 10 October as part of junction improvements for the £350million Kingsway Business Park.

It will replace the Dig Gate Lane Bridge and is part of a £5million remodelling of Junction 21 (Milnrow) that will make it easier for traffic to get in and out of the 170,000 hectare site, which is currently under construction.

Although three lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction during the work, each will be narrowed and a temporary 50mph speed limit will be enforced with speed cameras so that work can be completed in safety.

Work on improving the junction will be ongoing until Autumn 2006, although the traffic restrictions will change as the work progresses.

Highways Agency project manager Paul Elliott said:

"Kingsway Business Park is one of the biggest developments in the North West and when it is complete it will lead to thousands of new jobs. It is vital that we improve Junction 21 so that it is able to cope with the additional traffic that the site will create.

"We have worked very closely with the developers to ensure that we minimise the impact on the 100,000 vehicles that use this stretch of the M62 every day. We do not expect significant delays and will advise motorists when further changes are needed to help them plan their journeys."

The improvements to junctions 21 include:

• The replacement of the existing eastbound exit slip road
• Improvements to the westbound slip road
• Modification of sections of the existing motorway slip roads, which will become local roads open to all classes of traffic
• Construction of a new dual carriageway and two roundabouts between the existing Elizabethan Way roundabout and the new eastbound exit slip road

Once the new bridge is complete, the existing Dig Gate Lane Bridge will be demolished.

The junction improvements are being overseen by the Highways Agency and paid for by Wilson Bowden Developments Ltd and the Northwest Development Agency in association with Rochdale MBC.