Emergency repairs to a defective bridge joint will take place this weekend on the southbound carriageway of the M6 along Thelwall Viaduct. The work will begin at 9pm tonight (Saturday April 9th) and end at 5pm tomorrow.
The work requires the closure of three lanes – leaving only lane four open to traffic. The bridge joint is across lane two and lane three of the southbound carriageway. It is very close to where drivers join the southbound M6 from the slip road at junction 21 so the slip road will also be closed between 9pm on Saturday evening and 5pm on Sunday.
Bridge joints are mechanisms in the carriageway which allow the bridge deck to expand and contract safely with changes in the weather. This weekend's work will allow National Highways to plan a full repair at a later date which is likely to require a full overnight closure of the motorway over the viaduct. Carrying out the temporary repair this weekend will also reduce the risk of sudden, unplanned lane closures at peak times.
