Motorists have been warned to expect delays of up to four hours around a busy junction of the M60 this weekend. National Highways has issued a "severe" warning as the M60 will be closed in both directions between junctions 17 and 18 for construction work.
The closure is part of an upgrade scheme at Simister Island Interchange, a key link to the M62 Liverpool to Hull corridor and the M66. The work, which includes the removal of a motorway gantry, will see the westbound carriageways shut from 10pm on Saturday until 6pm on Monday. The eastbound (clockwise) carriageways will close at 11.59pm on Saturday and reopen at 6am on Monday.
Full diversions in place
Full diversions will be in operation around Simister Island, but significant disruption is expected. National Highways said: "Severe congestion and significant delays are expected, with motorists urged to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys and, where possible, avoid the area during the closure."
Francis Oliver, National Highways Senior Project Manager, said: "This is a vital scheme for the north west as Simister Island is used by more than 90,000 vehicles every day, and the M62 corridor is a major trade route between the port cities of Liverpool and Hull."
Work until 2030
The upgrade to the M60 at junction 18 will be taken over by construction workers until 2030. Improvements include widening the M60 to five lanes in both directions and building a new loop road to reduce the number of drivers needing to use the island. Four concrete gantries, ranging from 22.75m to 33.25m in length and standing around 7m tall, will be demolished, with one steel gantry removed this weekend.
National Highways added: "They are being removed having reached the end of their operational life and will be replaced with new ones designed around the updated junction layout." Diversion routes will be clearly signposted, with full information and a map available on the National Highways website.
