County council reveals road changes ahead of Workington bridge opening
Last updated at 15:34, Thursday, 18 March 2010
Changes are to be made to the roads system in Workington to keep traffic flowing once a temporary road bridge opens.
Weblink (.pdf opens in new window: 2.3Mb): Full-size traffic management works graphic
Letters are being sent out today detailing the traffic regulation orders being put in place to try and ease congestion at peak periods.
People are, however, encouraged to continue to use public transport or other methods of travelling such as by car share, cycling or walking.
A drop-in session to discuss the changes takes place between 5.30pm and 7.30pm in Bridge Church, Central Square, on Wednesday.
In addition, a change in junction priority at the west end of Church Street will be introduced this weekend as part of a resurfacing scheme.
This is necessary in advance of the bridge opening as part of the wider traffic management changes to be introduced.
The bridge - 67 metres long and 12 metres wide - now spans the river Derwent, near Northside and decking has been slotted into place to form its base.
Work is also progressing on kerbing, lighting and a new access road next to the Borough Park football ground.
Morgan Est – the contractors building the £4.6 million bridge on behalf of Cumbria County Council - have had about 25 staff working on site. It is hoped it may open to vehicles next month.
Once completed, the temporary bridge will link Workington by road across the River Derwent for the first time since November’s devastating floods.
To speed up the process for repairing footbridges, Cumbria County Council dropped proposals in its 2010/11 budget for bringing in on-street parking charges and diverted the money that would have been spent on introducing the charging scheme to repair Workington’s Navvies bridge and Memorial Gardens footbridge in Cockermouth.
To maintain additional pedestrian access to and from Workington town centre after the temporary bridge opens, it is planned that Barker Crossing, a temporary footbridge built by the army, will remain in place until Navvies Bridge re-opens.
First published at 14:55, Thursday, 18 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
If Northside Road is to be one way it seems to be in the wrong direction (again)
View all 21 comments on this article
Have your say
What most commenters are overlooking is the planned traffic difficulties in the hope of fewer objections when the long intended extension to the Stainburn bypass crosses Hall Park
Posted by Des Healey on 9 April 2010 at 16:30