14 November 2001

MAJOR ROAD WORKS COMMENCE ON THE M1 MOTORWAY

A £3.85 million scheme to replace the existing decks of the Black’s Road and Kingsway Bridges, which carry the M1 motorway over Black’s Road and Kingsway, will commence on Saturday, 17 November 2001.

The essential bridge strengthening work is needed to repair the bridge decks and abutments that have deteriorated over time with the ingress of water and de-icing salts, and also to accommodate the increasing weight of vehicles using the motorway.

A spokesperson for the Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service said: "When the bridge repair work is taking place, two lanes will be kept in use on the motorway in each direction. However, these lanes will be narrower than normal and no hard shoulders will be available on this stretch of motorway for the period of the contract.

"Motorists are asked to be patient, drive with extra care through the roadworks and obey all traffic signs, particularly the 50 mph speed limit.

"This traffic management arrangement has been used successfully on the M1 motorway on a number of occasions to undertake major bridge strengthening work. While it is inevitable that the public will experience some inconvenience, disruption to traffic will be kept to a minimum through the careful planning and phasing of the road works, particularly in the run up to Christmas."

Because of the close proximity of the traffic management arrangements to Black’s Road junction, both motorway slip roads at this location will be restricted to one lane.

Commuters should expect longer delays than normal joining the motorway at Black’s Road junction in the morning peak and leaving the motorway at this junction in the evening peak.

Roads Service will monitor traffic conditions on the M1 motorway using CCTV and adjust traffic signals in the vicinity of Black’s Road to minimise, as far as possible, the traffic congestion. However, commuters may wish to consider using alternative routes to avoid the Black’s Road junction.

The spokesman said: "The first phase of the scheme will involve temporarily widening the motorway so that four lanes of traffic can be accommodated on either carriageway. This will allow the bridge deck carrying one carriageway to be demolished and reconstructed, while traffic flows uninterrupted on the other carriageway."

"During the contract period, the motorway will be closed on six occasions to allow the temporary traffic management arrangements to be re-positioned so that the next phase of the essential repair can progress. These closures will all take place at weekends, between Saturday night and Sunday morning, when traffic is at its lightest on the motorway."

"When the motorway is closed, traffic will generally be diverted between the Stockman’s Lane and the Saintfield Road, Lisburn junctions (Largymore). Drivers should follow the signed diversion route. The first closure will be from 9:00 pm on Saturday 17 November to 2:00 pm on Sunday 18 November. Motorists will be advised one week in advance of all motorway closures."

"On a number of occasions the Black’s Road eastbound carriageway and Kingsway will also be closed to traffic to permit the bridge decks to be demolished. Again, to minimise the disruption to the public, these closures will be at night and generally from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am the following day.

Motorists will be warned in advance of these closures and traffic will be diverted via the Dunmurry Bypass. Both the Black’s Road eastbound carriageway and Kingsway will not be closed at the same time."

Roads Service has distributed around 25,000 traffic information leaflets to households and businesses in the Dunmurry and Derriaghy areas. This leaflet gives details of the diversion routes for traffic when the M1 motorway, Black’s Road and Kingsway are closed. Leaflets are also available from local public libraries and Roads Service Offices.

If vehicles break down, motorists should stay by their vehicles until police arrive. Breakdown trucks will be on stand-by on or near the motorway and a truck will tow the vehicle clear of the road works, free of charge. Emergency telephones within the roads works will be disconnected during the contract period.

Up to date travel information will be given by local radio broadcasts.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. At Black’s Road Bridge, only the bridge deck that carries the motorway over the eastbound carriageway (ie heading towards Kingsway) will be replaced. The bridge over the westbound carriageway (ie heading towards the Stewartstown Road) will be unaffected.

2. The Black’s Road and Kingsway Bridge Deck Replacement Works contract has been awarded to Farrans (Construction) Ltd.

3. This section of the M1 motorway currently carries around 64,000 vehicles per day.