Rochdale Observer

Motorway’s fourth lane is finally opened

- Newsdesk@men-news.co.uk @MENnewsdes­k

THE M62’s longpromis­ed fourth lane has finally opened – but the 50mph limit will remain in place into the new year.

For the past three-anda-half years, work has been underway to convert both the M62 past Rochdale and the M60 around Manchester into a ‘smart motorway’.

It has meant a 50mph average speed limit and lines of traffic cones, as well as delays and jams.

But a major milestone in the 17-mile, £208m project saw the fourth lane on a 10-mile stretch of the eastbound carriagewa­y between Rochdale and Simister Island opened.

The day after an extra lane on a correspond­ing stretch of the westbound carriagewa­y was brought into use.

New electronic signs were also switched on along this section of the M62, as well as on the M60 between junctions 8 and 10 near the Trafford Centre, giving drivers journey time updates and details on incidents.

But highways chiefs say the 50mph average speed limit will remain in place until early next year.

Jon Stokes, senior project manager at Highways England, said: “The extra lanes on the M62 will provide a significan­t increase in capacity on the busy stretch of motorway between Greater Manchester and Yorkshire, benefittin­g the 180,000 drivers who use the route every day.

“We’re now at a stage where we can open the extra lanes in time to benefit both Christmas shoppers also and people travelling to visit family and friends over the festive season.

“Nearly 600 people are currently working to complete the smart motorway and we will open each section along the route as soon as possible, improving drivers’ journeys and supporting the economy.”

Variable speed limits will be introduced on the M62 junctions 18 to 20 and on the M60 junctions 8 to 10 in early 2018, which will automatica­lly change in response to the flow of traffic.

Work to fit 350 electronic signs, more than 100 sensors and 50 CCTV cameras on the remaining stretch of the smart motorway, between junctions 10 and 18 on the M60, will continue into 2018.

Resurfacin­g work will also take place along the entire smart motorway route using overnight carriagewa­y closures.

As we reported in September, highway bosses admitted that the roadworks, which were originally due for completion this month, were set to take longer than promised due to its complexity, keeping lanes open for drivers in the day and ‘other issues’.

The whole project is due to be completed by summer 2018.

 ??  ?? ●●Work underway on the £202m ‘smart motorway’ project on the M62
●●Work underway on the £202m ‘smart motorway’ project on the M62

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