Roadworks to watch out for across the North West this week - August 6-12, 2018

All road improvements listed below are subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

Highways bosses have assured drivers that all improvement work will be carried with as little disruption as possible.

Here are the latest planned roadworks:

M56 Junctions 1 to 4 Sharston Link - Work is taking place to upgrade the safety barriers and improve drainage on the M56. Temporary narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit will be in place during the project and some overnight lane and carriageway closures will also be needed. The scheme is due to be finished in the autumn.

M57/M58 Switch Island - Construction work is taking place on a £3 million scheme to improve journeys and safety at Switch Island. All of the work will take place overnight to minimise disruption to drivers and the scheme is due to be completed by the end of winter 2018/19.

M6 Junctions 16 to 19 (Cheshire smart motorway) - Work is underway to upgrade the M6 to a smart motorway between Crewe and Knutsford, converting the hard shoulder to an extra lane and introducing new variable speed limits. Narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit are in place for the safety of drivers and workers. The scheme is due to be completed in spring 2019.

M6 Junction 19 Knutsford - Occasional work – such as ground investigations – is taking place as part of plans for a major improvement of the roundabout and junction. This requires occasional overnight lane and slip road closures.

M6 Junction 20 (Swineyard Lane) - Maintenance and repair work is taking place to the bridge which carries Swineyard Lane over the M6 at junction 20 near Sworton Heath, south of Lymm. Hard shoulder closures, narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit will be in place in both directions to ensure the maintenance scheme can be delivered safely. The scheme is due to be finished in early 2019.

M6 Junctions 26 to 27 (Gathurst Viaduct)

The bridge decks at Gathurst Viaduct are being re-waterproofed and resurfaced during overnight work. Some overnight closures of both carriageways will be needed, between 9pm and 6am, with clearly-signed diversions in place. A 40mph speed limit and narrow lanes through a contraflow system will be in place at all times.

M6 Preston - noise barrier - Preliminary work to install a noise barrier along the northbound carriageway between junction 29 and junction 30 is underway. This involves vegetation clearance and diversion of utilities and some lane closures will be required at times. This work will last for 3 weeks before the construction works proper can begin at a later date.

M6 Junction 31 - We’re providing a new observation platform on the southbound carriageway just south of the junction. This will help make the motorway safer by allowing police, DVSA and Highways England traffic officers a safe place to monitor vehicles and traffic conditions.The work will take place over 10 days from Monday 13 August. The hard shoulder will be closed throughout the work and a lane 1 closure will be needed between 9.30am and 3pm each day to allow construction deliveries to the site.

M6 junctions 33 to 32 - Following the bridge strike in July we’re working to reopen lane 1 to drivers as soon as possible by moving the temporary bridge column into the location of the column that was damaged and removed.

M6 junction 41 - We’re resurfacing carriageway lanes and slip road lanes around this junction (southbound) next week. Overnight on Wednesday (8 August) - from 8pm to 6am – the southbound carriageway will be closed through the junction. An off-and-on diversion will be in place (with drivers using the exit and entry slip at the same junction to continue journeys). Overnight on Thursday (9 August) – from 8pm to 6am – lane one of the southbound carriageway and the exit slip road will be closed. A clearly-signed motorway diversion (via junction 40) will be in place.

M6 junction 34 - Both the exit slip roads at junction 34 will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on Monday and Tuesday nights (6 and 7 August) for grass cutting. Clearly-signed diversions from other motorway junctions will be in place.

M6 Junctions 36 (Kirkby Lonsdale) to 37 (Sedbergh) - A project is taking place to replace safety barriers and improve drainage on the M6 between junctions 37 and 36, with one lane closed in each direction. A temporary 50mph speed limit will be in place for the safety of drivers and workers, and the scheme is due to be finished by the end of September.

M602 Clarendon footbridge - The bridge closed around the clock for about 4 weeks from Monday (30 July) while we resurface the bridge and improve drainage. Most of the work will be done during the day but some elements will require overnight working. A clearly-signed pedestrian diversion, via the bridge connecting Albert Road and Albert Street, will be in place.

M66 Junction 4 - We’re resurfacing the southbound carriageway around junction 4 in a 2 week, Monday to Friday, project that starts on Monday (6 August). All the work will be done overnight between 8pm and 5am. At times the work will require lane and slip road closures with clearly-signed diversions in place.

M60 Brinnington Road bridge - We’re improving this bridge over the M60 between junction 26 and junction 27 in a 13 week scheme that began on Wednesday (1 August). No work will be taking place on the motorway but temporary traffic lights will be in place on the bridge itself throughout the work. For safety reasons, a closure of Goyt Road will also be required at the junction of with Brinnington Road with localised signed diversion routes will be in place. The improvements include increasing the bridge barrier heights and measures to prevent unauthorised pedestrian access onto the bridge.

A66 Dacre and Hutton junctions - A project is being carried out to resurface the westbound carriageway along this dual carriageway section of the A66, with a contraflow system in place. The scheme is due to be finished by mid-August. This work will be completed by Monday 13 August.

A66 Braithwaite - Work to extend the cycle track started on Monday (30 July) for around 6 weeks. Temporary traffic lights will be used during the day but removed overnight when possible. The Braithwaite/Middle Ruddings junction will be closed between Monday 6 and Friday 10 August, inclusive.