The Highways Agency has announced the preferred bidders for its major project to cut congestion and improve journey times on parts of the M60 and M62 motorways around Greater Manchester.
Balfour Beatty will act as a lead contractor for the Highways Agency’s National Major Projects framework, while Carillion, Costain and a BAM Nuttall/Morgan Sindall JV will also be involved in the delivery of the project.
The project will see the transformation of a 17-mile stretch of the network between Junction 8 of the M60 near Sale and Junction 20 of the M62 near Rochdale.
Greater Manchester will greatly benefit from installation of latest technology to monitor traffic levels, provide traffic information to road users, and ease congestion by using variable speed limits on overhead message signs.
The deal has been priced at £184m, a lower amount from the original £190m.
According to the deal, the contractors will install and refurbish gantries, new static and variable signs, lighting, concrete safety barriers, drainage and surfacing works.
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said:
“This will tackle the congestion and unpredictable journey times that users of the M60 and M62 experience every day, which costs the economy some £2 billion a year. It is also good news for the construction industry as more than a thousand construction jobs will be created to help deliver these vital improvements.”
Balfour Beatty Executive Chairman, Steve Marshall said:
“We have been working with the Highways Agency for twenty years and look forward to building on that successful relationship. This scheme will benefit the 180,000 road users that pass through this section of the motorway network every day. We are committed to lead this project in a collaborative way with our partners, employing local people and businesses in our supply chain.”
Construction works are set to begin in July with completion schedules for autumn 2017 next month. Once completed, more than 200 new electronic signs on the M60 and M62 will warn drivers of changes in the mandatory speed limit, lane closures, and incidents ahead.
Photo Source: Traffic Technology Today