New M54 misery for Shropshire motorists as five months of roadworks to start
Part of the M54 will be closed every night for up to five months as part of £10.8 million roadworks starting next week.
Six miles of the westbound carriageway between junction 3 at Albrighton and junction 5 at Telford will close overnight from next Friday until April.
Central reservation barriers will be replaced, the road resurfaced and drainage improved as part of the work.
Average speed cameras will be put in place to enforce a 40mph speed limit for westbound traffic and a 50mph restriction for motorists travelling east during the work. Sections of the westbound route will be reduced to one lane during the day during off-peak times and at weekends.
It comes as plans for a long-awaited link road between the M54, the M6 and M6 Toll today took a step closer to becoming reality. Exhibitions outlining the route will be held as part of eight weeks of public consultation starting on December 5.
Highways Agency project manager Purnima Kaul said the roadworks in the area was "vital" and would be completed as quickly as possible. He added diversions would be put in place while the work was carried out.
Mr Kaul said: "This is a very important scheme to replace and upgrade safety features on this stretch of the M54. We are replacing the central reservation barrier and improving the drainage. This will help keep drivers safe, whilst the drainage improvements will reduce spray from the road surface.
"The new surface will be smoother and much quieter, and should reduce the need for further work in this area for some time to come."
During full overnight closures of junction 3 to junction 4, traffic will be diverted off at junction 3 to follow the A41 north to the A5 westbound, onto the A464 and back onto the M54 at junction 4.
During closures of the westbound M54 from junction 3 to junction 5, traffic will be diverted along the same route to junction 4, than taken via the A464 south to the A442 to re-join the M54 at junction 5.