M62 closures for smart motorway upgrade

Overhead gantry on the M62 near Rochdale, being removed in December 2015

Sections of he M62 will be closed overnight for six nights in January while work continues on the smart motorway upgrade.

Contractors for Highways England need to close short stretches of the motorway to remove supporting posts for overhead gantries on the M62 between junctions 19 (Heywood) and 20 (Rochdale).

The 40-metre-wide gantries, which spanned the width of the motorway and each weighed 130 tonnes, were removed before Christmas as part of the smart motorway project which will see the hard shoulder permanently converted to an extra lane between junctions 18 and 20 of the M62.

When the smart motorway goes live, variable speed limits will be used along the route to keep traffic moving. 

Highways England’s project manager, Paul Hampson, said: “The smart motorway scheme is a major upgrade to tackle congestion and reduce journey times. The extra lane on the M62 will increase capacity between the North West and Yorkshire, and the variable limit will tackle stop-start conditions by keeping vehicles moving.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum by closing short stretches of the motorway overnight when traffic levels are at their lowest. 

“There will be clearly-signed diversions in place when sections of the motorway are closed and we’re encouraging drivers who intend to travel overnight to plan their journeys in advance.”

The M62 will also be closed overnight in both directions between junctions 19 and 20 on Saturday 9 and Saturday 16 January. All of the closures will take place between 10pm and 6am, with clearly-signed diversions in place.

The smart motorway scheme will see the latest technology being used to monitor traffic levels and keep vehicles moving.

When the scheme is completed in autumn 2017, around 200 new electronic message signs on overhead gantries will warn drivers of changes in the mandatory speed limit, lane closures and incidents ahead.