Highways England video of M1 giant beam lift released

Highways England has released a timelapse video showing giant steel beams being lifted into place over the M1 near Dunstable.

The 38,100 tonne beams were installed over March and April this year as part of a £162M road project designed to stimulate Bedfordshire’s economy and reduce congestion through Dunstable town centre.

Motorists should see shorter journey times and improved reliability and safety.

The new scheme will see the creation of a new junction 11A interchange bridge and a B579 Luton Road bridge as part of the A5-M1 Link scheme.

A completely new 2.8-mile dual carriageway to provide the east-west link between the A5 to the M1, along with three new junctions including a new motorway junction, and six new bridges will also be built.

Once completed, it is envisaged that the scheme will unlock up to 40 hectares of land for businesses and create infrastructure to serve 7000 homes that will be constructed to the north of Houghton Regis.

Work on the A5-M1 link has so far seen work begin on the layout for the new M1 junction11A including new roundabouts and bridges, and also the rebuilding of the B579 Luton Road East and West to align it with junction 11A.

Good progress has also been made on the link road itself with drainage, fencing and some of the foundations and surfacing completed so far.

Highways England Project Manager Karen Green said: “The A5-M1 Link scheme is progressing well and to plan. Lifting the beams for these two bridges was an important milestone for the A5-M1 Link Road project, which will offer motorists better and safer journeys and help reduce congestion through Dunstable as well as unlock land for new homes and businesses.

“The two new bridges will be opened to traffic closer to the scheme completion in spring 2017.”

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