Commuters in north Bristol are being warned to expect significant additional delays on roads throughout the area when South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) commences repairs to the Bromley Heath Viaduct in the final week of July.
The A4174 Ring Road near Hambrook is to be reduced to 50 percent capacity (one lane each way instead of two) for an estimated 33 weeks from the weekend of 22nd/23rd July.
The project was originally expected to take 52 weeks to complete, but a recent decision by the West of England Joint Committee to allocate additional funding of £2.8m means that it has been possible to reduce its duration. This will be achieved by carrying out the work over dual weekday shifts, with some weekend work as and when required.
Cllr Colin Hunt, SGC Cabinet member responsible for transport, said:
“Reducing the length of the work will help to alleviate congestion and the impact of diversions on local communities, commuters and people travelling through the area. We know the scheme will cause significant disruption for people but we are trying everything we can to mitigate this.”
The work is required in order to undertake essential maintenance on one of two parallel viaducts that carry the road over the River Frome between the Hambrook lights and Bromley Heath Roundabout.
The southern viaduct, which carries the westbound carriageway, is in need of: pier strengthening, bearing replacement, drainage improvements, waterproofing, parapet and safety fence replacement, concrete repairs, and abnormal load carrying capacity improvements.
A separate major project to provide a wider shared path and a protective barrier for cyclists and pedestrians using the viaduct will be carried out concurrently with the repairs.
Points to note for Bradley Stoke commuters
As shown by the yellow route on the plan above, traffic from Yate, Frampton Cotterell and Coalpit Heath heading for the M32 and Bristol will be encouraged to use the B4058 Bristol Road through Winterbourne rather than the A342 Badminton Road. This can be expected to make it even more difficult for traffic travelling south out of Bradley Stoke via the Old Gloucester Road to emerge onto the B4058 at the Crown Inn junction.
In the reverse direction, Bradley Stoke commuters should also be aware that amended traffic signalisation at the Hambrook lights will restrict some movements onto the northbound Bristol Road.
All information correct as of 30th June 2017.
Visit www.southglos.gov.uk/bhviaduct for full details of the project.
Follow the Bromley Heath Viaduct page on Facebook for the latest information.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2017 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 19). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
Update from South Gloucestershire Council (18th July)
The A4174 Ring Road will be closed in both directions from the Wick Wick roundabout (at the junction with the A432 Badminton Road) to Hambrook lights from 8pm on Saturday 22nd July until 6am on Monday 24th July when the Ring Road will reopen with the contraflow in place over the viaduct.
These closures are to allow for the traffic management to be put in place. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
To help alleviate traffic queuing on local roads, traffic management will also be in operation from 6am on Monday 24th July. This includes closures to some local roads, plus adjustments to traffic lights and road signs in the surrounding area. Traffic heading to the M4 motorway will also be directed east to junction 19 of the M4 rather than using junction 18. Signs are in place to alert drivers.
After reading this I am even more pleased that I moved away. Good luck all you Bradley Stoke and Little Stoke commuters