Bridge on major route into Liverpool to reopen after a year
A new bridge over a major route in and out of Liverpool reopens early tomorrow evening (Saturday, September 9).
The route over the A565 Great Howard Street has been closed for the last year to allow for the £10m replacement of the structure, which transports traffic over a disused railway line to north Liverpool docks.
One lane of the dual carriageway will open in each direction at 5pm following completion of the complex engineering project, which has been carried out by GRAHAM Construction.
The remaining lane in each direction and pavements will remain closed to allow for work to be completed on footpaths and the installation of utilities.
The works form part of a wider £100m infrastructure programme along the city’s Atlantic Corridor to help regenerate north Liverpool.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Ann O’Byrne said: “We would like to thank motorists and local residents for their patience while this work has been carried out.
“It has been a challenging engineering project due to the age of the structure and the condition of the foundations, but what we have now is a new bridge which will carry thousands of vehicles over it every day for many decades to come.
“This is a really crucial route in and out of the city, which is why we are investing significantly to make sure it is able to carry freight and cars.
“This is especially important on this route due to the completion of the new Liverpool 2 deep water port which is absolutely critical to the future economic success of the city region and will help create and support many jobs.
“Although the road is now open, there will be lane closures until spring 2019 as we complete work on other stretches of the road.”
The new 2.7km long stretch in the city’s Atlantic corridor is seen as crucial to a new creative district in the area – called Ten Streets and will have spin off benefits for Everton FC’s proposed new stadium at nearby Bramley Moore Dock.
The new dual carriageway, part funded by the Liverpool City Region Growth Deal, will also pave the way for a major revamp of the historic Regent Road – also known as “the Dock Road” – to make that more pedestrian and bike friendly, creating a continuous cycle route from Crosby to Liverpool.
Other phases of the £48m programme to upgrade the A565 will require lane restrictions and will see:
• Phase one: Leeds Street to Blackstone Street – Road widening phase (completed by spring 2018)
• Phase two: Bankhall Street to Millers Bridge – Road widening phase (starting October 2017)
• Phase three: Regent Road from Paisley Street to Nelson Street – New pavement/Resurfacing and cycleway provision phase (starting late October 2017)
• Phase four: Boundary Street to Everton View – Upgrade of Traffic Signalised junctions and Street lighting with associated resurfacing (starting spring 2018)
Expected to finish by Summer 2019, the works are part of Liverpool City Council’s wider £250m Better Roads programme to improve the city’s road infrastructure and will be complemented by the creation of two new £20m waterfront link roads at the city centre end of the A565, which is being built to support a proposed new Cruise passenger facility.
