On Thursday night Roads Service's contractor, HMC, installed a temporary footbridge over the motorway to maintain safe pedestrian access to the Collinbridge area while the road is being repaired. Over this weekend, works are being carried out to move utility services located in the existing bridge to ensure that they are fully secured when excavation works begin. These include gas, water, electricity and telephone services.
The works will continue next week with the excavation of the damaged area and construction of temporary works. The area will be filled with concrete and the road reconstructed. This will allow the bridge to be re-opened to traffic whilst replacement of the bridge continues. Pedestrian access across the bridge will continue to be maintained.
Detailed programming of the work is still ongoing. However, Roads Service has set HMC an ambitious target to reinstate the vehicular access by the first week in September.
Roads Service and HMC wish to apologise for the inconvenience caused to the residents of the Collinbridge Estate and Hightown Estates through which the temporary access is routed. The traffic signals on Hightown Road at Mallusk Road have been reprogrammed to improve flows. This and other junctions in the area are being closely monitored. We do appreciate the forbearance of the residents and can assure them that every effort is being made to reinstate the Collinbridge Road as quickly as practically possible.
Notes to Editors:
Media enquiries to: Emma Flynn-Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, Tel 028 9054 0372. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
