Road resurfacing is due to begin on the A574 Warrington Road in Culcheth on August 19, bringing eight weeks of evening disruption to one of the village's busier routes. The work is scheduled between 7pm and 1am, but only when signs are in place, so the roadworks timetable may have a touch of local mystery about it.
The resurfacing will run from the junction with Holcroft Lane to the junction with Millbrook Close. Crews will also work for 50 metres along Eden Avenue, Ravenfield Close, Fowley Common Lane and Hey Shoot Lane from the A574 Warrington Road.
Access will be controlled by the relevant contractor while the works are under way. That should keep things safer, although anyone trying to get across Culcheth in the evening may want to allow extra time and patience, two resources that tend to disappear remarkably quickly in traffic.
The signed alternative route will take drivers via the A580 East Lancashire Road, A572 Newton Road, B5207 Kenyon Lane, B5207 Wilton Lane, B5207 Broseley Lane and B5207 Common Lane, then back the other way. It is not exactly a scenic evening tour of the area, but the diversion is necessary while the carriageway is resurfaced.
Properly repaired roads will be welcome news after the usual battle with potholes and patchwork repairs. Still, eight weeks of closures and diversions is a substantial inconvenience for residents, commuters and local businesses, particularly when the work affects several nearby junctions and side roads.
The original article includes an image captioned as Manchester Road in Culcheth, despite the works being planned for Warrington Road. It also carries a disclaimer stating that the article was produced through an exclusive subscriber partnership with USA Today and written by American colleagues, and that it may not reflect the view of The Herald. A slightly confusing editorial detour, before anyone has even reached the official diversion.