Highways Agency

The Project

We have carried out strengthening works and repairs on the Irwell Valley Bridge immediately to the east of junction 16 of the M60.  Several years ago, the bridge was assessed and found to be overstressed in some parts of the box beams.  The works that took place were to strengthen the bridge so the weight restriction on one of the Highways Agency’s main routes could be lifted.  Works commenced in December 2005 and were completed on the 22 September 2006.

Construction work was programmed to keep disruption to a minimum for every one involved especially the travelling public but including the bridges own residents – bats.  The bridge is a summer home to 100 Daubenton’s bats the largest known roost on HA property.  Part of the works required a DEFRA licence before it could go ahead and was restricted to the winter period, when the bats would have left the bridge to hibernate.  Lane closures were required for parts of the strengthening but careful planning enabled these to be carried out at night time with a minimum of disruption to traffic flow.

This project was procured via the Construction Management Framework. Find out more about this type of procurement.