Hammersmith Flyover Closure This Weekend Cancelled |
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No more all day disruption planned until the summer months
Transport for London (TfL) have announced that the planned closure of Hammersmith Flyover this weekend (24-27 April) is now not taking place. TfL say that 'thanks to good weather and excellent progress by our contractors' the final of the three westbound weekend closures is now no longer required. Further weekend closures will be necessary during the summer to replace the expansion joint, the dates of which are to be advised closer to the time. According to TfL the repairs have been carefully designed to be carried out in the shortest timeframe possible, helping to keep road disruption to a minimum. The work has also been coordinated around other planned work in the local area, including the forthcoming construction of the East-West Cycle Superhighway in central London, which began in April. Since October 2013, TfL has been carrying out a major refurbishment programme, strengthening the last 11 of the flyover's 16 spans (the initial five were completed in 2012). They say work on the structure is progressing well, with the upgrade to the central reservation of the flyover complete and strengthening to the structure in full momentum. Almost three quarters of the overnight closures required to replace bearings supporting the flyover have now been used with the remaining closures planned in the coming weeks. These bearings enable the flyover to expand in the summer and shrink in the winter by up to 180mm, and replacing them is a crucial part of the work to extend the life of the flyover. A significant amount of additional work was required to the flyover because the buried concrete supporting the bearings was in a much poorer condition than assumed. Despite this, the work remains on course to be completed by summer 2015. Full weekend closures to the flyover will be carried out during the coming months to allow TfL to complete the repairs to the two expansion joints within the flyover, which allow the structure to flex as traffic moves across it. The dates of these weekend closures are being confirmed and will be announced well in advance.
Hammersmith Broadway/Shepherd's Bush Rd
Hammersmith Bridge Rd
Talgarth Rd/Butterwick
A4 Great West Rd/Macbeth Street
Tfl say that drivers who would ordinarily use the flyover should follow the signed diversion via the A40. Research during previous closures of the flyover showed that drivers using the signed diversion via the A40 experienced less delay than those travelling on the A4 Great West Road through the Hammersmith gyratory. Traffic using the A4 Hammersmith flyover, travelling to and from central London, will be diverted from Earl’s Court to the A40 and then onto A406 to join the A4/M4 at Chiswick Roundabout. Diversion routes will be signed during the works and local access below the flyover will not be affected.
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