A key flyover bridge on the inner ring road in Leeds city centre is to be rebuilt in a major £30m project starting in May.
Originally built in the late 1960s, the Regent Street Flyover is to be replaced with a new enhanced structure after suffering damage from road salt and inherent problems resulting from construction issues 'typical of 1960’s construction', the council said.
The bridge has an estimated 43,000 vehicles passing over it every day while 30,000 vehicles pass below it on the A61.
The work, which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2022, will involve some overnight and weekend closures.
The A64 (M) and A61 will remain open during the majority of the works, although they will be temporarily reduced from four lanes to two. The A61 Regent Street will maintain its current capacity of four lanes under the flyover throughout.
Leeds City Council chief officer highways and transportation, Gary Bartlett said: 'Extra time should be allowed for journeys and where possible, we would like to ask people to leave cars at home and avoid travelling during peak times.
'Please ensure you plan ahead, check timetables or apps and leave more time for your journey as services will be busier. For shorter trips walking or cycling could be the fastest route to your destination.
'We will continue to work with bus operators to ensure that buses can continue to operate effectively throughout the work for Leeds residents and those working and visiting the city. We would like to remind people that the city remains open for business, however delays are inevitable when carrying out such a large-scale project.
'We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience that this work may cause however, we would also like to stress to people that this work is absolutely vital to ensure the bridge remains safe for road users.'
