'Vital' £450m M32 roadworks set to take six years
BBC"Vital" roadworks on a motorway bridge to ensure it remains safe are expected to last at least six years.
Work is needed on the M32 Eastville Viaduct north-east of Bristol to fix serious defects including damaged concrete and corroded bearings. Cracking on the underside of the bridge has also exposed reinforced steel.
The government has now confirmed it will fund the project, which is expected to start in 2029. In 2023, the expected cost of repairs was at least £200m but it is now up to £450m.
"Our aim is to cause as little disruption as possible during this complex scheme," a National Highways spokesperson said.
The organisation said the viaduct was "now in need of significant renewal work, which is vital to keep drivers safe".
The Eastville Viaduct was built in the 1970s and carries around 85,000 vehicles every day.
Work will include repairing concrete and bearings, and installing barriers, waterproofing and drainage.
The funding will come from the government's wider £27bn scheme known as Road Investment Strategy 3.
An inspection in 2023 found that drainage systems were blocked and causing "extensive water staining and corrosion".
Water high in chloride, from road salts, has seeped into the structure and is leaking onto the pavement below.
Terry Robinson, engineering manager at National Highways, said: "There are elements of [the bridge] that need replacing."
What is the expected disruption?
Will Miller, National Highways' project manager for the scheme, said he was "quite confident" that two lanes of traffic could be kept open in both directions during the majority of the work.
However, some overnight closures are expected and the speed limit will "likely" be reduced to 30mph.
Acoustic barriers and the M32 traffic plan
Work on the viaduct will include "noise fencing" being installed along parts of the road to reduce noise pollution for nearby residents.
Locals living near to the road have been complaining about the noise for years, with the latest petition calling for acoustic barriers gaining 750 signatures.
The confirmed funding for the work comes two years after the West of England Combined Authority said it was exploring how to reduce congestion on the M32 in the long term.
An idea to build a park and ride was dropped in 2024 because transport planners feared it would push drivers on to residential roads in areas such as Fishponds or Frenchay.
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