Drivers in Culcheth should prepare for a lengthy evening roadworks saga, with the A574 Warrington Road closing in phases from Monday, August 19. Two sections are being resurfaced between the junction with Holcroft Lane and Raven Bridge, beside Hey Shoot Lane.
The closures will run between 7pm and 1am for up to eight weeks. The road and its side roads will be shut during the works, although everything is due to reopen outside those hours. That is welcome news for daytime journeys, but anyone travelling after dinner may want to allow considerably more time. The village's roads are already busy enough without adding a nightly obstacle course.
Phase 1 will cover Holcroft Lane to west of Churchill Avenue and is expected to last two to three weeks. Phase 2 will then run from west of Eden Avenue to Raven Bridge for a further four to five weeks. The eventual prize is better road surfaces, which is positive, although eight weeks of disruption is a fairly hefty price for a pair of stretches of tarmac.
Warrington Borough Council says vehicular access will be controlled by the contractor. Vehicles parked on the road, verge or footway and obstructing the works may be removed, so leaving a car in the wrong place could turn an ordinary evening into an unexpectedly expensive lesson in civic responsibility.
The signed diversion will run via A580 East Lancs Road, Newton Road, Kenyon Lane, Wilton Lane, Broseley Lane and Common Lane, then back in the opposite direction. Bus diversion information will be displayed at stops before the scheme begins.
Residents and businesses needing access to the closed sections should speak to the contractor, who will provide as much access as can safely be managed. However, Warrington Borough Council warns that there will be periods, including when the existing surface is being removed or the new one laid, when access may be impossible for several hours.
The article was written by Lois Dean, Senior Reporter, as part of an exclusive subscriber partnership with USA Today and its American colleagues. It notes that the piece does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald, while the original report appeared under the Warrington Guardian banner.