Major upgrade work at Lofthouse Interchange to come to an end

Lofthouse Interchange, at the junction of the M1 and M62, has been closed to all traffic since June, while major repair works were carried out on the roundabout's four bridges.

Motorists have faced diversions while the roundabout was closed.

But Highways England have now confirmed that they intend to reopen the roundabout over the weekend, with the junction fully functional by 6am on Monday, August 24.

Highways England project manager Russell Mclean said: “We are delighted to be completing this complex engineering project at Lofthouse Interchange, which is one of Yorkshire’s biggest structures.

"We’ve carried out vital improvements on a route that is key in supporting the region’s economy, and I want to thank drivers for their patience.”

As part of the £3.6m project, 20 bridge joints have been repaired and rewaterproofing work has been carried out.

Lofthouse Interchange opened in 1970, and now carries more than 45,000 vehicles a day.

Elsewhere, work is underway to waterproof, resurface and replace the joints at junction 27 of Gildersome Interchange on the M62. This is taking place on the westbound side of Gelderd Road bridge deck, where the M621 meets junction 27, and should be completed by the middle of next month, weather permitting.

Next month the bridge barriers are being replaced at the M62 Tingley Interchange at junction 28 and extensive work will be done at junction 30 (Royds Green). Resurfacing and waterproofing is required to prevent damage to the concrete deck, and new expansion joints will be installed to allow the structure to move in a controlled way. The work is dependant on good weather conditions.

Strict safeguarding measures are in place on site to prevent the spread of COVID19 and will be closely monitored to keep the workforce and road users safe.

To carry out the upcoming bridge work as safely and quickly as possible, various closures are required. For more information visit https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/m62-bridge-work/ and follow the Twitter account @HighwaysYORKS.