A key section of the trans-Pennine M62 will be closed for two full weekends next month as a 60-year-old railway bridge is replaced.
Network Rail is demolishing and replacing the Castleton bridge, which carries the main railway line over the motorway between Junction 19 at Heywood and Junction 20 at Rochdale.
The motorway will be closed in both directions from 9pm on Friday 6 September to 6am on Monday 9 September and from 9pm on Friday 20 September to 6am on Monday 23 September.
National Highways said it is working with its rail network counterpart to ensure the work goes as smoothly as possible but is advising drivers that the closures will affect cross-Pennine travel plans.
Due to the timings of the work over weekends, different closure and diversion arrangements will be in place for the westbound and eastbound.
Senior network planner (resilience) Gary Farrell said: ‘Network Rail clearly needs to replace what is an ageing bridge and a critical piece of the railways infrastructure supporting the important Manchester Victoria to Leeds service and other routes.
‘We’ve been working with staff from Network Rail for many months to plan and publicise this work, including the two full weekend closures.
‘As well as working closely to co-ordinate lane and carriageway closures with Network Rail, we have or will be using as many opportunities as possible to complete our own routine maintenance at the same time – reducing the need for our own lane and carriageway closures at other times.’
National Highways said it is the first time in recent memory that the M62, which carries around 120,000 vehicles a day, has been closed for a whole weekend or other extended period for planned work.
There will also be nightly closures of the motorway in both directions between the two weekend closures and some overnight closures of the M62 in West Yorkshire between Huddersfield and Brighouse during the same period.
