M5 Oldbury viaduct works

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roadtester
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by roadtester »

I stayed near to this for the AGM. On Friday/Saturday, I think the limit was 30.

They do seem to be doing a very through job with the surfaces being ripped right back.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Big L »

lotrjw wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2019 14:30 Well potentially it could go, but I think the idea was not to create a massive bottleneck when traffic reached the Oldbury viaduct. During the day that would make sense, but after 8pm and before 5am there is no reason for it, hence part time speed restrictions on that section would make better sense than full time restrictions.
I think when someone finally realised what a joke the limits and lane closures that were imposed back at 4a were, and removed them, they must have panicked at all of the extra traffic that was going to be thundering towards roadworks and felt the need for all-new ridiculous limits.
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ais523
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by ais523 »

A journey I'm considering: from Halesowen, aiming for the A14.

The obvious route is A456, M5 (join at J3, going northbound), M6. Are these roadworks bad enough to suggest looking for a non-obvious route (e.g. going through the centre of Birmingham)?
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by IAN »

Well why not go south at J3 and then use M42 to M6

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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Jeni »

ais523 wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2019 18:29 A journey I'm considering: from Halesowen, aiming for the A14.

The obvious route is A456, M5 (join at J3, going northbound), M6. Are these roadworks bad enough to suggest looking for a non-obvious route (e.g. going through the centre of Birmingham)?
Despite what everyone says, you'll be fine.

I go through at rush hour fairly often and have quickly learnt that it's just a minor inconvenience rather than the world ending
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Bryn666 »

You'll lose at worst maybe 15 mins on the approaches.

Unless you drive illegally you won't make that back going any other way.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by ais523 »

OK, thanks for the advice. The journey might not happen soon, or at all, but I'll likely use the M5-M6 route if it happens.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by brummie_rob »

Fridays it is around 30 minutes on the Northbound approach usually, but other days it moves fairly well. Tarmac is now going down on the hard shoulder and lane one, hopefully this isn't the test which they'll rip up in a few weeks like they did on the Southbound but you never know.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Big L »

Screenshot_20190606-131031~2.png
This, on the 'official' Facebook page for the project, with some photos and a load of derogatory comments about no-work, project delays, and vague timescales in the announcements.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Bendo »

Seems fair, not been that easy for a few months, does the northbound approach still have about 4 miles of SPECS enforced 50 with no works, Cones or anything?
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Big L »

From Facebook again...
M5J1J2FacebookPost210619.JPG
So, the contraflow is going but not the 30-limit 2-lanes section, yet.

I went through this morning and thought there was a fair amount of blacktop on the northbound side.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by linuxrocks »

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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Big L »

From Facebook
M5FB010719.JPG
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by c2R »

Some photos of the works, from underneath...

There can't be many fingerposts underneath a motorway:

Image

Not the usual sort of warning sign HE use on their network:
Image

Canal junction under the motorway
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Chris5156 »

c2R wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 00:11Some photos of the works, from underneath...
Thanks for these!

I really like the way they've cast new parapet sections with supports for lighting columns - it's very sympathetic to the original design of the viaduct.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Chris Bertram »

c2R wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 00:11 Not the usual sort of warning sign HE use on their network:
Image
The Scaffold:

Image

Please don't tie your boat to them :D
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by c2R »

Chris Bertram wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 09:23
c2R wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 00:11 Not the usual sort of warning sign HE use on their network:
Image
The Scaffold:

Image

Please don't tie your boat to them :D
I did actually think exactly that when I took the picture, but assumed it would be too niche to reference!
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Big L »

I think the project boards still say Autumn as a completion date (of the "main works"). Does HE think Autumn means November?

They are getting on with the concrete barrier, but there is still Armco in places, and I'd be surprised if they finish it before the month is done.
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by Micro The Maniac »

Big L wrote: Sat Nov 09, 2019 08:03 I think the project boards still say Autumn as a completion date (of the "main works"). Does HE think Autumn means November?
The MetOffice consider September, October and November to be Autumn...

Astonomically, for 2019, Autumn is 23rd September to 22nd December
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Re: M5 Oldbury viaduct works

Post by brummie_rob »

The barrier is now a mix of concrete Jersey style barriers and new Armco. I know the original idea was to concrete it all and looking at the way they have done this, I'm sure they could have just removed it all and popped down the concrete barriers without having to do all new kerbing, so not sure why the decision was taken not to do this following all the delays.
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