Work restarts to protect one of Britain’s most iconic road structures
Vital work to ensure drivers continue to have safe journeys over Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham is set to restart this month.
The work will include repairs and renewing the waterproofing of the iconic road structure. The ageing structure is in need of repair and the work is unavoidable.
Highways England has worked closely with Birmingham City Council to plan the roadworks at M6 junction 6 and on the A38(M) Aston Expressway. Road works will be in place for up to 24 weeks with overnight work from 8pm to 6am and some weekend closures.
However, Highways England is working to ensure that lane closures and disruption will be minimised where possible and closures of the M6 will be kept to weekends only.
Work will begin on Monday 27 June, and is expected to last until Christmas. However, Highways England has stressed engineers cannot tell the scale of concrete damage until the carriageway is closed and the road surface removed.
Highways England project manager, Jess Kenny, said:
The road was built a considerable number of years ago and has reached the end of its life. We need to work now to ensure this part of Spaghetti Junction is protected for years to come.
If we don’t act now, water will cause more and more damage in the structure; corroding the steel reinforcement bars and causing damage to the concrete itself. Leaving it alone is not really an option and would mean bigger and more disruptive roadworks in future.
We would like to thank drivers for their patience for the duration of works.
Closures will be introduced on the Aston Expressway (tidal flow lane), Park Circus and Salford Circus to complete essential work over a 24 week period.
Additional works are planned to take place during the school holiday with full weekend closures of the A38(M) and junction 6 of the M6 starting from 22 July. It is anticipated that these closures will be in place for up to seven weekends.
The work has been planned together with Birmingham City Council, with weekend summer closures timed for when the roads are quietest. The council has been invited to use Highways England’s unavoidable road closures, to complete essential maintenance tasks which would otherwise need their own roadworks in future, and has agreed to pause its roadworks on diversions and alternate routes when the closures are in place.
Motorists travelling into Birmingham City Centre can find out more information online by visiting the Network West Midlands website or by visiting the Traffic England website. Alternatively, follow @HighwaysWMIDS on Twitter.
Further information can also be found on the scheme webpage or by calling the Highways England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.