M1 widening J25-28: overnight closure of M1 for bridge demolition

The M1 will be closed overnight in both directions between Junctions 25 and 26 in Nottinghamshire later this month to allow for the safe demolition of a farm bridge.

The motorway will be shut along the five mile (8km) section from 9pm on Saturday, 17 January to 9am the following morning.

The demolition forms part of the ongoing project to widen the motorway to four lanes plus hard shoulder in both directions between Junction 25 at Sandiacre and Junction 28 at Pinxton.

Highways Agency project manager Paul Tully said:

“The existing bridge is not wide enough to get the extra motorway lane or the lengthened sliproads underneath, so needs to be demolished and replaced with a bridge with wider spans.

“Demolition has been timed to coincide with the quietest time on the motorway in order to limit delays to road users. We will limit delays further by taking advantage of the closure to carry out other routine maintenance that will then remove the need for further closures.

“Road-users who will be travelling at this time are advised to familiarise themselves with the diversion before setting off, allow extra time for their journeys, follow all signs and obey all speed limits.”

The 42-year-old reinforced concrete bridge, which is used to carry farm vehicles between Knowle Park Farm and a field on the opposite side of the motorway, is 43 metres long and weighs around 100 tonnes.

In the nights before the closure, the temporary steel safety barrier will be replaced with cones, which can be more easily removed on the night. Once the motorway is closed a protective layer of wood and plastic mats will be laid on the carriageway to protect the surface from falling concrete. Eight mechanical breakers, each weighing between 35 and 70 tonnes, will then move in to pull the bridge down. Debris will be removed to a temporary compound of the M1 near Trowell services, the carriageway cleaned and safety barriers re-installed before the M1 is opened to traffic again.

During the closure there will be three separate diversions depending on the nature of people’s journeys.

Local traffic will be diverted from Junction 25 along Brian Clough Way to the A6154 Nottingham Ring Road, A610 Nuthall Road/Eastwood Bypass to rejoin the M1 at Junction 26, or vice versa.

The alternative route for regional traffic will be from Junction 24 to the A50 and A38, rejoining the M1 at Junction 28, or vice versa.

The strategic alternative route for long-distance traffic will be along the M6 and A1/A1(M).

Pedestrians wishing to use the public footpath across the bridge can instead cross the motorway further north at the Junction 26 roundabout and approximately 400 metres south at Strelley Lodge.
The work is weather dependent. In the event of very poor weather, the demolition will be postponed until the night of either Saturday, 24 or 31 January.

Over the following months new bridge supports will be put in place and a replacement deck lifted into position. This will require a further closure of the M1 between the same junctions at a later date. The new bridge will have two spans with a combined length of 67 metres.

Author: Richard Lawton, January 6, 2009
Filed under: Traffic Information