Essential gas mains renewal work in Chester (Old Dee Bridge)

28 July 2008 for three months

Over the next three months, National Grid are continuing their programme of gas main renewals in Chester. The next phase of this work will be the renewal of a 587 metre section of 250mm diameter pipe from Mill Street, Handbridge over the Old Dee Bridge and along Lower Bridge Street to the junction with Pepper Street and Bridge Street.

Preliminary work began on Monday 28 July and it is anticipated that the project will take until mid November to complete. To accommodate the work crossing the Old Dee Bridge and along Lower Bridge Street a three phase traffic management scheme will be in operation.

The scheme will involve the bridge being closed and diversion routes put into place for traffic entering the City centre from the Handbridge area and traffic leaving Lower Bridge Street will have to exit it by designated roads only.

Included within this page are links to information that has been produced to describe the areas and dates when each of the three phases of the scheme will take place. Also included is a link to view a detailed map of the diversion routes for each of the three phases.

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Temporary Closure Of Chester’s Hoole Road Bridge

January 7 2008 until early May 2008

Please note that this work is now complete

Urgent work is required to Chester's Hoole Road railway bridge, first built in the mid-19th century, which carries the busy A56 route. The work is required to bring it up to modern load bearing standards and to ensure the future safety of both road and rail users.

Bridge owners, Network Rail, have worked closely with Cheshire County Council to keep disruption to a minimum and the work has been carefully coordinated with other city projects including St Martins Way improvements and Station Gateway.

To allow for parts of the bridge to be demolished and reconstructed, it will need to be closed to vehicles from February 11 2008 for approximately 8 – 12 weeks. Pedestrians and cyclists will have access during this time over temporary bridges.

County Councillor Eveleigh Moore Dutton, Executive member for Highways and Transport said, "While the bridge is owned by Network Rail, Cheshire County Council is acting in partnership to minimise disruption and inconvenience to both local communities and to visitors to Chester from further afield.

"The work needs to be done and the County Council is handling the large scale problem of traffic diversion in order to facilitate the work while keeping the City functioning.

"The strengthening work required for the bridge is inescapable, as is the disruption it will bring, during the construction period. The work is essential to meet EU standards and hopefully the local communities and road users will show patience and understanding during the period of work."

Strengthening work to Chester’s Hoole Road railway bridge, already the scene of peak hour traffic congestion, will require it to be closed to road vehicles for up to three months early next year.

Vital work will commence from January 7, 2008 and is scheduled for final completion in early May 2008.

The work, a £1.3 million investment, is being carried out by Network Rail in partnership with Cheshire County Council and is essential to bring the bridge in line with European Union regulations.

Hoole Road Bridge is one of a handful of 'gateway' entrances to Chester City centre and the closure will have a serious impact on the movement of traffic in and out of the city.

Clearly-signed diversion routes will be in place for traffic heading for the City centre and highway officers are currently working on a range of options to be announced nearer the closure date.

The image above is of the works area and the proposed diversions. You can click it for a bigger version.

More information on the Hoole Road bridge works are avialable on the Cheshire County Council website.

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City Road, Station Road, Chester

June 11 until December 21 2007

Temporary traffic restrictions will be in place to enable Cheshire County Council to carry out major highway improvement works for the Chester Rail Station Gateway project.

1. Station Road - temporary closure between the Deva Mail Social Club and 143 Brook Street. A diversion route will be available for traffic heading to the station: via Hoole Way, St Oswalds Way, City Road and Station Road. For traffic heading from the station: via City Road, St Oswalds Way, Hoole Way and Brook Street.

2. City Road and Station Road - temporary one way restriction between its junction with Crewe Street and its junction with Car Street. Traffic will be prevented from travelling in an eastbound direction. A diversion route will be available via Brook Street, Hoole Way, St Oswalds Way, City Road and Station Road.

3. Station Road - temporary closure from its junction with Car Street for a distance of approximately 40 metres in an easterly direction. A diversion route will be available via Brook Street, Hoole Way, St Oswalds Way, City Road and Station Road.

4. City Road - temporary closure from its junction with Station Road for a distance of approximately 30 metres in a southerly direction and Station Road from its junction with City Road for a distance of approximately 40 metres in a westerly direction. A diversion route will be available via City Road, St Oswalds Way, Hoole Way and Brook Street.

5. Station Road and City Road - temporary closure between the Royal Mail sorting office and its junction with Crewe Road. A diversion route will be available for traffic coming from Brook Street: via Hoole Way, St Oswalds Way and City Road.

6. Station Road - temporary closure outside The Queen Hotel for traffic entering Station Road from City Road and traffic entering and leaving through the arch to the Queen Hotel and Station East car park. No diversion route is available.

Access to properties and for emergency vehicles will be available at all time.

During the works, waiting restrictions will be suspended on the following roads - Station Road, City Road.

Visit the Cheshire County Council site for further information.

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St Martins Way - Bridgeworks

June 17 Until Late November

*Latest News*

Phase two gets underway this weekend (July 28 and 29) on part of the £1.5 million scheme to waterproof, reconstruct and resurface Chester’s inner ring road flyover including the underpass which provides access to Princess Street car park.

Traffic at the underpass beneath St Martin’s Way will be down from four to three lanes for a short span between Princess Street and Watergate Street from 8am till 6pm Saturday and noon till 6pm on Sunday.

The site will also be reduced down to one lane in each direction after 6pm as previously planned.

The proposed weekend lane closure arrangement is to be implemented on a trial basis and, if successful, will be used to complete the waterproofing and resurfacing works at the underpass.

Cheshire’s Highways and Transportation Executive member John Burke said: "Weekend working could save up to 21 days work at the underpass site.

"On St Martin’s Way flyover there will continue to be two lanes of traffic travelling towards the Fountains Roundabout and one heading in the opposite direction towards the courts buildings."

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A £1.5 million scheme to waterproof, reconstruct and resurface Chester's inner ring road flyover at St Martins Way. It also includes similar works at the underpass beneath St Martins Way which provides access to the Princess Street car park.

Aims

To provide a sustainable highway network with improved safety and with new street lighting that is consistent with amendments to St Martins Way as part of the Northgate Development.

Times & Closures

In the early part of Sunday morning (17 June 2007) the southbound lane from Fountains Roundabout to the City Walls (in the direction of the Courts) will be closed. Work is scheduled to actually start on Monday (18 June) morning. This lane closure will be in place for the entire first phase of the project.

On the same morning one lane of the northbound road between Watergate St. and Princess St. (towards Fountains Roundabout) will also be closed. However this is a temporary measure to allow the contractors a safer environment to prepare the southbound lane. This lane closure is scheduled to be removed at around midday.

As the project continues further lane closures will be required on the flyover and two lanes of traffic will travel towards the fountains roundabout with one heading in the opposite direction towards the courts buildings.

A temporary bridge will be in place at the underpass during the day to allow all four lanes to remain open.

In the evening between 6pm and 11pm this will be removed and work will continue with one lane open in each direction.

Further details are availble on the Cheshire County Council website.

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