Major Chester ring road changes coming soon
The Nicholas Street viaduct on St Martin’s Way in Chester will have a contraflow system in place for six weeks from Sunday 21 September as essential structural inspections take place.
On the first night of work, Sunday 21 September, the ring road between Fountains Roundabout and the 1966 bridge will be closed in both directions between 8pm and 6am while the contraflow is installed.
From Monday 22 September the inside carriageway of the viaduct will be closed between Fountains Roundabout and the 1966 bridge. Traffic in both directions will share the remaining carriageway under a contraflow arrangement. Cheshire West and Chester Council has advised that delays are likely, especially at peak times, and drivers should avoid the area if possible.
To allow traffic to rejoin the carriageway safely after the 1966 bridge, King Street will also be closed at its junction with St Martin’s Way.
After around three weeks the works will switch sides. The outside carriageway will then close, with contraflow in place on the inside carriageway. When this phase begins, City Walls Road will be closed at its junction with St Martin’s Way after Brennus Place.
The viaduct is a 300-metre structure that carries the A5268 inner ring road in Chester over side roads, the canal and the main Holyhead railway. Opened in 1966, it extends from the City Walls at St Martin’s Gate to the Fountains Roundabout.
The inspection will involve exposing and checking post-tensioned steel tendons embedded within the concrete. Other works will be carried out at the same time, including replacing carriageway expansion joints and cleaning drainage gullies.
Later in the programme, inspections underneath the viaduct will also take place, requiring short closures of side roads including Canal Street and Garden Lane, along with restricted access to the council-owned Garden Lane car park and some private land. The council has said residents and businesses will be kept updated.
Further details are available on the Cheshire West and Chester Council website under Nicholas Street Viaduct inspection.
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