M65’s Whitebirk junction set for summer roadworks chaos
Lancashire County Council is planning to resurface the Whitebirk Roundabout leading to Junction 6 of the M65.
Its engineers will also replace the road markings and upgrade drainage.
The £272,000 project is likely to take several weeks.
A major upgrade of the roundabout in 2007/8 took three months, with drivers complaining of 'chaos' stretching back into the nearby Red Lion roundabout and Blackburn[1] ring road.
Oswaldtwistle county Councillor Peter Britcliffe said: "There will be major traffic disruption but it will be worth it in the end."
The authority programmed the resurfacing and improvement works for late summer and early autumn this year after complaints about the fading of white line markings on the roundabout.
Great Harwood, Rishton, Altham and Clayton-le-Moors county Councillor Carole Haythornthwaite raised the issue with the county authority's highways department earlier this year.
Now the county's highways boss Cllr Rupert Swarbrick has said: "Our highways team has been monitoring the condition of Whitebirk roundabout, and we're now working to programme a scheme to resurface the roundabout and replace the road markings later this summer.
"We will be also investigating for drainage defects and repairing any we find.
"I'm aware that this is a very busy area and we'll let people know about any impact this work may have on their journeys nearer the time."
Cllr Haythornthwaite said: "I am very pleased this is being done.
"I am receiving many complaints about the dangers of accessing the roundabout, particularly from Rishton/Great Harwood via the A678 and find that markings are virtually invisible.
"Drivers are relying on overhead signs, and can be distracted from vehicles alongside them, with an increased risk of side-swiping.
"I am constantly hearing 'accidents waiting to happen' and 'good job we know the road' and 'your life in their hands'.
"We are not talking about a head on collision but side-swiping can be very dangerous.
"It will mean the county council will have to be careful with traffic management while the work takes place but that is what they have experts for."
Cllr Britcliffe said: "I am very pleased this resurfacing and repainting work is being done.
"It is essential as the roundabout is becoming dangerous. There have been a lot complaints.
"There will be major traffic disruption but it will be worth it in the end."
Cllr Mustafa Desai whose Blackburn with Darwen[2] Council Little Harwood and Whitebirk ward adjoins the roundabout said: "The white lines are faded and need repainting but I am not sure about resurfacing."I am absolutely worried about the traffic chaos it will cause."It is a very busy roundabout and a main gateway into Blackburn. The traffic will need to be managed very carefully."