Regular weekend road works costing £600,000 will enable routine repairs and safer and smoother journeys for motorway users in Cheshire and Merseyside, according to the Highways Agency.
They have kicked in at the busy Stoak interchange on Ellesmere Port’s outskirts.
The agency is re-waterproofing and resurfacing the carriageway around junction 15 of the M56, where the motorway links to the M53.
Highways Agency project manager Mark Mosley said: “This is vital, if routine, work to tackle wear and tear at this important motorway interchange.
“We are doing all we can to minimise disruption to motorway users by carrying out the work in phases.
“But sections of the M56 and link roads with the M53 will close from time-to-time and drivers should allow a little bit of extra time for their journeys.”
Closures are due to run at weekends only, until November 28.
All the work will be restricted to weekends from October and November, between 8pm on Friday evenings and 10am on Sunday mornings.
The agency advises that any carriageway or link road closures will include the whole of each Saturday.
Three bridges at the interchange will benefit from the work which also includes replacing the joints which allow the bridge structure to expand or contract with changes in the weather.
Closures include:
The link road from the M56 onto the northbound M53.
Eastbound on the M56 between junctions 16 and 15.
Westbound on the M56 between junction 15 at the interchange and junction 16 at the end of the motorway.
The link road from the southbound M53 (junction 11) onto the eastbound M56.
The bridges which carry the M56 at the interchange are to have their waterproofing layer renewed and will also be resurfaced.
Road markings will be reinstated along with the replacement of the expansion joints at either end of each bridge deck.
The agency explains the motorway has suffered instances where the surfacing has broken up.
This leaves potholes and debris in the carriageway creating a hazard to motorists.
Site investigations have shown this is due to a failure of the waterproofing.
When the surfacing failures occur, the agency points out emergency lane closures are required causing delays to the general public.
The agency says ‘all efforts’ will be made to reduce the amount of weekend closures required with engineers pointing out the work is dependent on dry weather.
A decision may be made to abandon work for a particular weekend depending on the weather forecast.
Engineers says delays are possible and drivers should plan their journey to allow for extra time travelling through the works. Diversion routes will be sign-posted as appropriate.
Drivers should note a 50mph speed restriction and hard shoulder running will be implemented during some phases of the project
Congestion may be encountered during periods of heavy traffic.
Further details, including diversions, are available at http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m56-stoak-interchange .
