Pontefract A1 Wentbridge Viaduct work to be completed before Christmas
Long-running roadworks at a viaduct in Pontefract are set to come to an end in December.
National Highways thanked motorists and residents for their patience alongside news that roadworks along the A1 will be completed early next month.
Traffic management along the A1 over Grade-II listed Wentbridge Viaduct will be completely removed by National Highways by Sunday, December 7 with the final phase of repairs, along the southbound carriageway, being completed next week.
Narrowed lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit along the northbound carriageway will be removed by Sunday, November 30.
The work will require a week of overnight - 8pm to 6am - closures, beginning Monday, November 24 along the northbound carriageway.
Then, from Monday of next week (December 1), nightly 8pm to 6am southbound carriageway closures will be used to remove the current lane closure and 50mph limit along the southbound carriageway – completing the whole project well ahead of the Christmas holiday travel period.
Some resurfacing and cyclical maintenance such as drainage clearance will also be done during the northbound and southbound carriageway closures.
Drivers are being advised that some overnight closures may be needed in the new year for adjustment work as the newly-repaired section of road is monitored.
National Highways programme delivery manager John Stebbing said: “We know road users and residents alike will be pleased that we’ve been able to complete this very complex project, which included both the viaduct and a local road bridge, ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“Once again we’d like to thank road users but especially local residents for their patience and support since we started these vital repairs back in 2023.”
Work to repair the viaduct, which carries the A1 over the River Went, started in February 2023.
The waterproofing and resurfacing scheme ran concurrently with a major project at nearby Wentedge Road bridge, which carries a local road over the A1.
That work included replacing the bridge pier in the central reservation of the A1 with a brand new support as well as embankment improvements.
National Highways said taking on both projects at the same time enabled traffic management along the A1 to be combined and reduce future inconvenience for drivers.