Drivers are being warned of a date change for a full weekend closure of the M4 later this month.
The motorway will now be closed in both directions between junction 18 (Bath) and junction 19 (M32) from 7pm on Friday, 24 October, until 6am on Monday, 27 October.
The closure is to allow steel beams for the new A432 Badminton Road bridge to be lifted into place. National Highways said the date change was necessary due to a delay in the production of the bridge beams.
Sean Walsh, Route Manager for National Highways, said: “Due to unavoidable circumstances, we are having to move the weekend closure to Friday, 24 October.
“This change in date is due to a delay in the production of the bridge beams, and it’s essential that we have everything in place prior to the closure to allow it to run smoothly.
“Whilst the delay is regrettable, we are working at pace to reopen the A432 as soon as possible, and we don’t anticipate this will have a delay on the overall programme of works.”
The closure marks a key milestone in the project, which will involve lifting eight steel beams into position across the motorway. It is the final full weekend closure required for the scheme, with the remainder of the bridge works expected to cause minimal disruption to traffic.
Once complete, the new 46.5m-long and 20m-wide bridge will span eight lanes of motorway, with wider lanes and pavements to meet modern safety standards. It is due to open in early next year.
National Highways warned that the closure is likely to cause substantial disruption, with between 3,000 and 4,000 vehicles usually using this stretch of the M4 every hour at peak times. Drivers are being advised to avoid the area or plan their journeys for alternative times.
A diversion will be signposted:
- Westbound traffic will leave the M4 at junction 18, take the A46 towards Bath, then the A420 towards Warmley, and join the A4174 towards the M32 before rejoining the motorway at junction 19.
- Eastbound traffic will follow the same route in reverse.
The Badminton Road bridge, built in 1966, was closed in 2023 following structural investigations that revealed problems on its underside. Demolishing and replacing the bridge was chosen as the quickest and most cost-effective solution.
More information about the scheme can be found on the National Highways website at www.nationalhighways.co.uk.
