M5 junction to close for 14 weeks as part of ‘major’ scheme

Somerset Council has announced the Somerset Council Highways scheme, which gets underway in June, to replace a "deteriorating" 51-year-old concrete road and motorway junction.

The Council's contractor Heidelberg Materials will be refurbishing Junction 26 of the M5 along with the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington[3], built in 1974. Due to the depth of excavations required around the Junction 26 roundabout, the project will require a complete closure of Junction 26 and the A38 link road (from J26 to Foxmoor Business Park) for around 14 weeks from 16 June to mid to late September.

The work is expected to finish in September. (Image: Somerset Council) Access will be maintained to Foxmoor Business Park from Chelston Roundabout under Traffic Management but with some overnight / weekend closures. The contractor will use an innovative technique known as rubblization to completely break up the existing concrete road surface using heavy machinery, the council said.

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Instead of removing 7,300 tonnes of concrete from site, the materials will be retained and recycled as sub-base for the new road. The council added that this modern recycling method, often used on airport runways, will save 200 tonnes in carbon and around 1,130 lorry movements, compared to traditional road construction methods. This is achieved by removing the need to export waste material and quarry and import new stone.

This is better for the environment, but it also means the work will be completed faster, minimising disruption as much as possible, Somerset Council said. The window and timescale for the work has been agreed with National Highways and is dictated by forthcoming M5 works, alongside the need to allow National Highways to access its gritting depot off the Chelston Link Road during winter. Two public drop-ins will be held May in Wellington on dates to be confirmed shortly and another is scheduled for 14 May in West Buckland Parish Hall from 4pm to 7pm to give people the chance to meet the team and find out more.

Somerset Council's Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: "This is a major scheme which will see the complete renewal of the old link road and motorway roundabout. "Everyone who uses this route will be well aware of the state of the road. "That's why we are grabbing this opportunity with both hands, having successfully secured funding from Government.

It has not been easy to find a suitable window to get this done due to its proximity to the M5, and the need for access to National Highways' depot. "This is the only feasible way to renew this vital road. Doing nothing would mean we continue to patch the road piecemeal as and when, and this not cost effective and means sporadic long disruption.

We have the money from Government, and we want to get this done.

"However, we understand this will be disruptive and we are working closely with local businesses, community leaders and residents to ensure this is minimised as much as possible.

"The team will be meeting people at two drop-ins in Wellington and West Buckland to answer questions about the scheme and tackle any concerns."

References

1. ^ M5 set for overnight closure between Burnham and Bridgwater (www.bridgwatermercury.co.uk)
2. ^ Somerset village to grow by 80 homes in major new development (www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk)
3. ^ Wellington (www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk)