Posted on Thursday 4th October 2018
The old A522 bridge over the A50 being demolished at the end of September 2018
A series of phased closures are planned for the A50 this weekend to allow the removal of a demolished bridge’s foundations.
Workers will remove the foundations of the abutments on either side of the A50 to a depth of one metre.
The rest of the bridge, which carried the A522 over the A50 near Uttoxeter, was demolished last weekend.
It has already been replaced by a new bridge across the A50 and an improved junction with the A522 to support the creation of new homes and more jobs, while cutting congestion and improving road safety.
Staffordshire County Council is delivering the project on behalf of Highways England.
Mark Winnington, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Economic Growth, said:
Removing this 25ft high structure safely and quickly is a major landmark in a complex project which is heading towards completion.
We appreciate people’s patience and understanding while we take the final steps and are working as quickly as we can.”
To allow the foundations to be dug out without endangering workers, the A50 closures will be phased as follows:
- Eastbound only: full closure from 8pm on Friday, October 5 to midnight, Saturday, October 6 (28 hours). Westbound carriageway open;
- Westbound only: Lane 1 closed from 1am to 8am on Sunday October 7 for traffic management work. Eastbound carriageway open;
- Westbound only: Lane 1 closed from 8am to 8pm on Sunday October 7 for removal of the south side foundations. Eastbound carriageway open;
- Westbound only: full closure from 8pm on Sunday, October 7 to 5.30am on Monday, October 8 for traffic management work. Eastbound carriageway open.
Full closures will be between the A521 roundabout at Blythe Bridge and the B5030 roundabout at Uttoxeter.
When a carriageway is completely closed the diversion route will be the same for vehicles travelling in both directions. From the east, traffic will be diverted northwards from the A50 at Uttoxeter on to the B5030 for a few hundred yards to the roundabout with the A518. Traffic will turn right there, cross back over the A50 along The Dove Way and continue on the A518 clockwise around Uttoxeter and follow the road towards Stafford. Vehicles will then follow the A51 and A34 towards Stoke-on-Trent, before joining the A500 and then the A50 to Blythe Bridge. The route is reversed from the west.
Mark Winnington added:
The works have been scheduled so that people travelling from the Stoke-on-Trent direction to the popular Oktoberfest Raceday at Uttoxeter racecourse on Sunday will be able to attend and leave without diversions, and there are no problems for racegoers coming from Derbyshire.”
Finally, work begins on Monday, October 8, when New Road will be completely closed to vehicles in both directions from the Shell garage entrance for approximately 400 yards west towards Tunnicliffe Way. This is to reconstruct the carriageway, install ducts and pipes for future power, broadband and energy supply needs in the area for housing and industry.
Diversions will be clearly signposted and maps showing details are available on the Staffordshire roadworks pages or can be found by going to Staffordshire County Council page and searching for ‘A50’.
The A522 will reopen in early December, with the Project A worked planned to finish on Friday, 14 December and again diversions will be in place similar to the earlier closure of the A522.