Major upgrade works to start soon on Tinsley Viaduct in the Don Valley

Major improvement works to upgrade the well used, busy Tinsley Viaduct in the Don Valley, are due to start in late April.
Improvement works to start on Tinsley Viaduct in late April 2019Improvement works to start on Tinsley Viaduct in late April 2019
Improvement works to start on Tinsley Viaduct in late April 2019

Tinsley Viaduct carries both the M1 and the A631 roads 1,033 metres over the Don Valley in South Yorkshire and later this month work will start to improve this impressive structure for the thousands of drivers who use it every day.

A number of vital improvements are being carried out to the barriers, footpaths, drainage and road surface on the lower deck with work starting on the southbound carriageway on Tuesday April 23.

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Highways England project manager, Russell Mclean, said: “Tinsley Viaduct is a unique piece of our road network and that is why we carry out regular inspections and maintenance work to ensure it remains in good working order and continues to provide a vital road link for the community. It carries on average 100,000 vehicles per day.”

He added: “We will be making full use of the road closures by carrying out a range of maintenance and improvement work. This includes replacing the barriers and improving facilities for pedestrians, improving safety along this route.

“This work is being carried out in three phases. The first phase concentrated on the northbound carriageway and was completed last year. The southbound improvements are the second phase of this work and the third phase will take place later this year and upgrade the adjacent service road.”

As part of the overall scheme, around 2.5 miles of safety barriers will be replaced, the steel structure will be waterproofed, 20,000 square metres of resurfacing will be put down and just over a mile of footpath will be improved.

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To carry out work on the southbound carriageway, the majority of traffic will be diverted on to the adjacent service road. A reduced speed limit of 30mph will be in place.

HGVs will be diverted on to the local road network via Meadowhall Road and Meadowhall Way.

When work starts on the service road in the summer, traffic will be unaffected. The scheme is expected to be completed in time for Christmas shopping later this year.

Around nine different specialist teams will be working on site and where possible work will take place 24/7 to ensure it is completed as quickly and safely as possible.

Back in 1968 this two-tier road bridge cost £6 million to build and was constructed using steel box girders - it contains 12,500 tonnes of steel and 81,000 tonnes of concrete.