Series of overnight road closures at busy flyover
A busy Leicester flyover will be hit with a series of overnight closures in the coming weeks. Leicester City Council[1] said extensive repair works are underway at the Redhill Flyover, at Red Hill Circle.
The flyover, on the outer ring road, will be closed to all traffic[2] between 8pm and 5am on selected days in November, December and January. Work began on the bridge earlier this month and is expected to last 10 weeks in total.
The flyover will remain open at all other times during the work. The closures are as follows:
- November: From 8am on Friday, November 24, to 5am on Saturday, November 25.
- December: From 8am on Tuesday, December 19, to 5am on Wednesday, December 20.
- January: Three consecutive nights from Tuesday, January 9, until 5am on Friday, January 12.
The repairs involve removing seized bridge bearings at both ends of the bridge and replacing them with new ones. To achieve this the bridge will be jacked up to free up the existing bearings so they can be removed and replaced, before the bridge is lowered back into place once more.
The work will also see the bridge joints replaced, any damage to the parapets repaired and a damaged lamp column replaced. Advance warning signs are being put in place on nearby approach roads, with diversions clearly marked.
Pedestrian access around the roundabout will be maintained as far as is safely possible, the authority added, but there will be some restrictions around the areas being worked on, especially during material deliveries and waste removal. Some temporary parking and loading restrictions may also be put in place on nearby roads to enable traffic to continue moving and for materials to be delivered.
The entire project will cost £334,000, which will come from the city council’s annual capital transport budget. The work is essential for the long-term stability and safety of the bridge, which carries thousands of cars every day, the council has said.
Leicester deputy city mayor for climate, economy and culture Adam Clarke said: “The Redhill Flyover is an extremely busy part of Leicester’s road network connecting the A6, A563 and A46[4], and therefore needs to be able to handle thousands of cars, lorries and buses every single day. The bridge needs this essential maintenance to ensure it remains safe to meet modern transport demands for many more years to come.
“Work will take place over 10 weeks, with the flyover remaining open for the majority of the time. The series of overnight closures will take place where we have no option but to shut the flyover to traffic for the work to be carried out safely. We’ll make sure diversions using the roundabout at Red Hill Circle are clearly signposted and that drivers heading towards that junction from all directions are aware of these necessary repairs.”
References
- ^ Leicester City Council (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ to all traffic (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Plan revealed for six new wards at Glenfield Hospital (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ A46 (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)