“20 minute hold ups” planned for A483 works on Monday morning

Traffic Wales have said traffic in both directions will be held for up to 20 minutes at a time at intervals from 00:00 – 06:00 on Monday morning on the A483 roadworks. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The ongoing works are part of major resurfacing works that is being carried out over 9 weeks to replace the road surface that has reached the end of its serviceable life from south of J7 Rossett to the Wales/England border. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The majority of works is being carried out under contraflow – one lane in each direction – which will allow the A483 to remain open to one lane of traffic in either direction. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a change to the work plan there are alterations this weekend and Monday morning where overnight closures are replaced with lane closures, with up to 20 minutes stops. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This change has been put in place to reduce the number of times the A483 is closed “to help minimise disruption”. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Once repairs are complete, the new surfacing will have none of the existing transverse joints which cause ‘unacceptable amounts of noise’ when driven over by cars. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Welsh Government explain, “The works involve: removing the worn-out surfacing, repairing and/or replacing the underlying concrete slabs, resurfacing with an improved surfacing product. The works are required as the road surface has reached the end of its serviceable life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The repair and/or replacement of several concrete slabs, together with the laying of 2 layers of surfacing, will require full closure of each side of the dual carriageway in turn. Therefore, a contraflow arrangement will be set up which will allow the A483 to remain open to one lane of traffic in either direction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“These measures are necessary to protect both the workforce and the travelling public, and to enable the works to be carried out in as short a time as possible.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It is unclear why the 40mph zone is problematic to some drivers, with regular bottlenecks at each end at the merge points, and then stop-start traffic inside what should be a free flowing 40mph area. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​