The M5 motorway near Gloucester will be fully closed for a weekend next month to allow for the demolition and replacement of two deteriorating pedestrian bridges.
National Highways is set to commence work to remove and rebuild the Grove Court and Uphill Court bridges, which span the M5 between junctions 11 and 12. These bridges have served as pedestrian footpaths for 64 years but have now deteriorated to an unsafe condition and require replacement.
Both bridges were closed to the public in March due to safety concerns. The complete demolition will take place over the weekend from Friday 16 October at 11pm until Monday 19 October at 6am, with the motorway reopening for weekday morning traffic.
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Each bridge measures 69 metres in length. Demolition will be carried out using high-reach excavators, removing approximately 440 tonnes of concrete and 14 tonnes of steel tendons from the site.
Ewan Greenhill, National Highways Route Manager, said: “Like many structures on our motorways, these bridges have exceeded their designed lifespan. Replacing them is essential to ensure safety and maintain the smooth flow of traffic and pedestrians. We’re working closely with Gloucestershire County Council on the replacement plans.”
To facilitate the creation of a construction compound, the northbound exit slip road at junction 11A will be closed from Sunday 11 October for one week before and one week after the demolition weekend.
Careful planning of diversion routes has been undertaken to minimise disruption, including timing the closure to start at 11pm on Friday to accommodate Gloucester Rugby’s European Champions Cup match against Bordeaux-Begles earlier that day.
During the closure, southbound and northbound traffic will be diverted via the A38 through Gloucester, the A40 between Cheltenham and Gloucester, and the A417.
National Highways also advises motorists to be aware of concurrent roadworks in the region, including the A40 Over Bridge works, major improvements on the A417 as part of the Missing Link scheme, and bridge refurbishment between junctions 15 and 16 near the Almondsbury Interchange.
Further details about the scheme and diversion routes are available on the National Highways website.