HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORKS ON NORHAM ROAD BRIDGE
DRIVERS are being warned to expect disruption as work continues to rebuild Norham Road Bridge. The demolition is part of North Tyneside Council’s £7.2m scheme to upgrade major commuter routes in the area. The first two phases, involving Beach Road and the Billy Mill junction, have been completed on time and on budget. Motorists affected by the bridge closure are being advised to amend their journeys accordingly. North Tyneside Council is leading a project to knock down and then rebuild the bridge, which goes over the A1058 Coast Road in North Shields. The bridge has the Formica factory on one side and a retail park and 24-hour Tesco on the other side. The council believes so. The bridge is more than 50 years old and needs urgent attention. The new structure will have a lifespan of around 120 years. The old bridge has two lanes and was often very busy. Drivers found it difficult to turn onto Norham Road from the Coast Road slip roads. When the new bridge is built, it will have:
Four lanes, two each southbound and northbound
Traffic signals at both slip road junctions, making it easier for vehicles, particularly buses, to get onto Norham Road. These signals will be linked to those by Tesco for improved traffic movements
Increased waiting capacity for vehicles on Norham Road wanting to turn right onto the slip roads. This means traffic going straight ahead is less likely to be stuck behind turning vehicles
New signalled pedestrian crossings on A1058 Coast Road entry and exit slip roads
A Toucan crossing on Norham Road North to enhance the Coast Road Cycle Route for the benefit of cyclists
Widened slip roads to provide enough space for two vehicles side-by-side. This will further reduce the traffic queues on the slip roads It is scheduled to be complete by Spring 2018. The bridge has been closed to traffic since the beginning of June and preparatory work has been taking place. The structure is due to be knocked down between 8pm on July 1 and 6am on July 3. During the demolition, a section of the Coast Road running under the bridge will be closed and drivers will be diverted over the slip roads. As the bridge is closed to traffic until next year, motorists are having to find alternative routes. Local drivers will know which routes work best for them. But the signposted diversions are:
From the north side of the Coast Road, traffic will head east to Billy Mill, turn right into Regent Terrace, around the Regency Gardens roundabout and back onto the Coast Road.
From the south of the Coast Road, traffic will go left along the Coast Road to the A19/A1058 Silverlink roundabout and back on the Coast Road.
Please note that pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained with a footpath across the Coast Road. The plan originally was to keep the bridge open. They were going to carry out the job in two halves, so that one half of the bridge could stay open to vehicles at all times. But this would have needed four-way temporary traffic lights. The council says it soon became clear from their traffic modelling that this would create huge congestion problems, so the decision was made to replace the bridge in one operation, with no vehicle access to the bridge and no traffic lights. With the bridge closed, the extra time taken to follow the diversions is shorter than the delays that would be caused by four-way lights. In addition, the construction period will be around two months shorter and, because the method of work is simpler, there is less that could go wrong. The authority has created two videos – one showing the impact on traffic if the bridge was kept open and the other showing the roads with the bridge closed. There will undoubtedly be disruption. But the council says the work needs to be done and they are trying to inform drivers of the scheme in advance so they can plan their journeys and alter their routes where needed. Paul Hanson, deputy chief executive, lives in North Shields himself and is well aware of the impact roadworks are having. He said the authority received Government funding which is allowing them to carry out a number of road improvement schemes but they had to be carried out within a certain timescale. He added: “We know that drivers and public transport passengers want us to complete our road improvements as quickly as possible. “Demolishing and reconstructing the bridge in one operation means a shorter construction period, less congestion – as no traffic signals are required – and the work will be delivered more safely. “We understand the work will cause inconvenience to some residents and we’re grateful for their patience.” Who is doing the work? Sisk Lagan are the chosen contractors. The group is already carrying out the Silverlink junction project for Highways England. You can ring 0191 643 6500 and you can also subscribe to a fortnightly e-bulletin – email roads@ northtyneside.gov.uk and put ‘A1058’ as the subject of the message.