Two huge steel beams weighing a combined 97 tonnes are to be installed in the next major phase of a £23 million National Highways project to replace a motorway bridge.

The new beams will carry vital utility services including water, gas and electricity, ensuring all service users remain connected across a wide part of the Greater Manchester region as work on the bridge continues.

The ageing St Anne’s Road bridge in Denton crosses the M67 and needs to be replaced. A three-year project to do that began last January.

Work has progressed well with all utility services crossing the bridge successfully diverted, and the eastern section demolished and remodelled. Further work has been done in recent months to lay the groundwork for the installation of the new steel beams.

Two cranes will be used to safely lift the beams into place, but for the safety of road users and the workforce involved, the section of the M67 running under the bridge will need to be closed in both directions.

This closure will be in place from 9pm on Friday, February 16 to 5am on Monday, February 19 - with the motorway shut between junction 1A at Denton and junction 3 at Hyde during these times. 

Mangat Bansal, National Highways’ Programme Delivery Manager, said: “We’re making good progress with our work to replace the bridge. The weekend closure will allow our teams to safely install the two steel beams which will carry utility cables and pipework, ensuring services like water, gas and electricity remain on during the next phase of our work.

“We always strive to minimise disruption to customers, although regretfully delays to journeys are expected over the weekend. We are advising everyone to plan before they travel and allow extra time to complete their journey. We apologise for any inconvenience this work will cause.

“We would again like to thank the local community, including road users, for their support and patience while we continue our work to provide the new bridge.”

The same diversion routes that were used last August will be in place again for the upcoming weekend closure. The routes have been created in consultation with the emergency services and local authority.

Drivers travelling between Manchester (M60) and the A57 Snake Pass and A628 will be able to follow a signed diversion running north of the M67 between junction 24 of the M60 and Mottram in Longdendale - using the A635 and A6018 via Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybrdge. Drivers on longer, through journeys can also consider using the alternative M62 trans-Pennine route between Manchester and Leeds. 

Live traffic information is available at www.trafficengland.com or from National Highways’ 24-7 customer contact centre at 0300 123 5000. Updates will also be posted to @HighwaysNWest – National Highways’ regional X feed (formerly Twitter).

More information about the project is available on a dedicated webpage at: www.nationalhighways.co.uk/m67-st-annes-road-bridge