DRIVERS will face months of diversions at the region’s busiest motorway junction as “significant maintenance” work is carried out.
National Highways will start work to “future-proof” two link roads on the Almondsbury Interchange in October.
The first is the carriageway that carries traffic on the westbound M4 from Bristol onto the northbound M5.
Known as the ‘K Loop’, the link road (shown above in red) will be closed from October 11 until sometime in December.
While it is closed, motorists will be diverted onto the southbound M5, to junction 16 with the A38, where they can get onto the northbound carriageway.
National Highways says the diversion will add around four minutes to journey times during off-peak hours.
The second link road carries traffic on the eastbound M4 from Wales onto the southbound M5.
Known as the ‘J Loop’, it will close from December until next February.
The official diversion (shown in green, above) sends traffic on the northbound M5 to junction 14 at Falfield, near Thornbury, where drivers can access the southbound M5 – a diversion of around 15 miles, which National Highways says will add around 15 minutes to off-peak journey times.
It is asking all motorists to follow the official diversion, but some drivers heading east from Wales are likely to try shorter routes, such as the M49 from the M4 or A403 from the M48, to head south.
Weekend closure
To prepare for the anticipated extra traffic using junction 14 at Falfield later in the year, the junction itself will be closed from October 30, at 8pm, to November 2 at 6am, with drivers who usually use the junction diverted via the A38.
The weekend closure will also affect the B4509 road between Thornbury and Wotton-under-Edge, which will also be closed where it crosses over the M5 on a bridge at the junction.
National Highways says the work at the Almondsbury Interchange will cost £4.5 million and “keep drivers safe and future-proof the junction”.
The two link roads carry more than 1,000 vehicles an hour at peak times between the M4 and M5.
A spokesperson said: “Having been built in the 1960s, the work will extend the life of the link roads and reduce the risk of unplanned closures for emergency maintenance work in the future, delivering a more resilient and more reliable route for local communities, businesses and freight.”
The work will include repairs to the concrete flyovers, new waterproofing, replacing the safety barrier, new bridge joints to allow the road to expand and contract, and better drainage.
It follows emergency temporary repairs at the interchange in 2024, which will be made permanent to prevent future emergency closures.
‘Significant maintenance’
National Highways engineering lead Terry Robinson said: “Many of the motorways and major A roads we manage were built around 60 years ago and need renewing to ensure they remain fit for purpose for generations to come.
“The K and J loops of the Almondsbury Interchange are now in need of significant maintenance, which is vital to keep drivers safe and ensure the smooth running of the junction.
“We’re grateful to people and businesses for their patience while this essential maintenance is carried out.”
Drivers are being warned to “expect delays” during the work and urged to consider avoiding the Almondsbury Interchange at peak times while it is underway.
People are also being advised to check before trying alternative routes, as other roadworks will be taking place on other major roads nearby, including the M32, at the same time.
The Almondsbury Interchange is one of the UK’s biggest multi-level “stack interchanges”, using multiple flyovers on four levels to allow drivers to move from one motorway to another in either direction.
For more details visit the National Highways website.