M62 closures start this weekend for £22M post-tensioned railway bridge replacement

The M62 highway close to Rochdale will be completely closed for two weekends starting this weekend while Network Rail's £22 million bridge replacement project in Castleton begins.

The M62 will not be open to traffic in either direction starting at 9pm today, September 6, until 6am on Monday, September 9, and then again from 9pm on Friday, September 20, until 6am on Monday, September 23.

The shutdowns will allow for the rebuilding of the 42-meter-long, 2000-ton Castleton bridge, which carries trains over the M62 between junction 19 in Heywood and junction 20 in Rochdale.

The bridge, which is nearly 60 years old and has post-tensioned cables, is on Network Rail's list of bridges at risk. Network Rail is going through this list and focusing on important bridges. The recent replacement of the bridge in Castleton has involved new methods that could be used as a model for upcoming projects.

Bridges built with post-tensioning technology were a key part of the UK's motorway expansion from the 1960s to the early 1970s. These bridges include metal strands inside the concrete, but they have had issues with water getting into the post-tensioning system and causing corrosion.

The project has been in the works for about 2 and a half years, but now the construction is happening quickly this month because of the important role the crossing plays. In addition to other uses, freight trains use it to move materials to and from Drax power station in Selby.

The new bridge was made using weathering steel by Murphy Ireland. Two huge steel beams, each 42m long and weighing 70 tonnes, were brought to the construction site of the M62 bridge during a nighttime road closure. These beams were produced in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland and transported across the Irish Sea to Holyhead, Wales with the help of a police escort. From there, they were taken to the M62 site where the bridge will be assembled.

Olivia Boland, who is sponsored by Network Rail, stated that replacing the Castleton bridge is necessary for ensuring the railway operates safely. It is also vital for the country's economy, as 6% of the UK's energy supply depends on the bridge for transportation.

Network Rail is collaborating with National Highways and Transport for Greater Manchester to ensure that road users fully grasp the implications of the ongoing construction work in the area.

Gary Farrell, a senior planner for National Highways, mentioned the importance of resilience in the network.

Network Rail must upgrade the old bridge, which is an essential part of the railway system that connects Manchester Victoria to Leeds and other important routes.

We have been collaborating with Network Rail employees for several months to organize and promote this project, which includes two complete weekend closures. We are advising drivers to stay away from this part of the M62 during the weekends by either postponing their travels or finding different routes. However, anyone who must use the M62 during these weekends should follow the official detours and not solely rely on GPS navigation.

"It is important to mention that we are collaborating closely with Network Rail to organize lane and road closures. Additionally, we are taking advantage of every opportunity to conduct routine maintenance simultaneously, in order to decrease the frequency of our own closures. We appreciate the patience and support of motorway users and residents living along the detour routes."

National Highways has announced that motorists should take note of the nightly closures of the motorway between 9pm and 6am in both directions, in addition to the weekend closures. These nightly closures will continue until the second weekend closure of the motorway, spanning from junction 19 to junction 20 in both directions. Detour routes have been clearly signposted for westbound drivers to use the A627M, A664, and A6046 route, while eastbound drivers should follow the A6046, A664, and A627M route.

The M62 in West Yorkshire will have nighttime closures between Huddersfield and Brighouse. The westbound M62 will be closed between junction 25 and junction 24 on September 9, 10, 11, and 12. The eastbound M62 will be closed between junction 24 and junction 25 on September 16, 17, and 18.

Along with the nightly closures of lanes going west or east, the entrance slip road on the westbound side at junction 25 will be shut down on Friday, September 13th. The exit slip road on the eastbound side at junction 25 will also be closed overnight on Thursday and Friday, September 19th and 20th.

Enjoyed the article? Sign up for New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters by clicking here.

Labeled as: replacing bridge, new bridge at Castleton bridge on M62, National Highways, rail network