Highways England has begun construction work this week in an effort to protect the A66 from flooding where it runs along Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria.
The project will see the carriageway raised by nearly 1.5m in places to prevent flooding incidents, which in recent years has resulted in partial or full closures of the road during severe weather.
A review of incidents involving swollen water levels leading to flooding from onto carriageways was already scheduled even before the headline-making storms seen last December.
The westbound dual carriageway collapsed and required the emergency lane on the eastbound carriageway to ensure the route remained open.
Over the next six months five sections of the road, which includes both dual and single carriageways, will be improved.
Highways England Programme Manager John Lyssejko said: “The A66 is one of the key arteries of the county, linking communities to the M6 and the rest of the strategic road network.
“Notwithstanding December’s storms, it generally copes well with prolonged rainfall. However, given the increasing frequency and severity of bad weather, it is vitally important to increase its resilience to flooding from Bassenthwaite Lake.”
Money for the project will come from the government funding that was set aside following the national Pitt Report into flooding issues and resilience.
Work is due to be completed by the end of 2016.
If you would like to read more articles like this then please click here
The post A66 flooding protection work begins appeared first on UK Construction Online.
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento