M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

[Big L]

Argos is at j13 not j14. There are big distribution warehouses by j14, and fairly recently built.

[JF2309]

Is that the bridge I used to call “the tatty bridge” just south of J15, with what looks like a gate halfway across it?

Serena

No, that is close to J15, the old access to the Trentham estate. This bridge leads to the Argos distribution centre which presumably 20 years ago was the farmers field. This will be the first of two bridge demolitions for this project.

I'll be interested to see if they manage it within 12 hours. If it goes later in Sunday it will cause issues. Pleased to see on the whole though some swift progress with the central reservation works, hope the whole project is kept in a timely manner.

The first Bridge actually allows access to Trentham Park Golf Course (Not to be confused with Trentham Golf Course half a mile away) and not Trentham Estate. The second bridge is just for farm access and the fishing at Black Lake where my father in law can be found for 6 months of the year.

[Big L]

Reopened after 11 hours.

[Big L]

Pic from Highways England

[Truvelo]

I drove along the A34 between Stafford and Stoke at around 6am this morning. It was really busy but there were no holdups. The Whitmore Road ratrun to J15 was also busy - I wonder what the residents must be thinking of such high traffic volumes so early on a Sunday morning.

It's a pity SteveA30 is so far away because opportunities of seeing the A34 come alive at the crack of dawn on Sundays are few and far between, until the next M6 closure that is.

[rw93]

The roadworks section on the southbound carriageway between J15 and J14 was extended last night from Yarnfield Lane connecting up to the J14 works, with a 50mph speed limit.

Currently it's just got cones, presumably this will be replaced with the metal barrier in the coming days so that works can get underway.

The works between J15 and Yarnfield Lane are still proceeding at quite a pace, most of the central reservation has been dug out and is now being built up with hardcore, and several of the bridge supports have now had their concrete reinforcements cast.

Just south of Yarnfield Lane down to the railway bridge on both carriageways they've started strengthening works for the widening.

[brummie_rob]

The works at Yarnfield Lane access are to ensure there is enough run off when the hard shoulder is running. To me though the supports look in the way!

The barrier works will be followed by a contraflow behind it in the first section with work taking place on the Northbound verge first

[Big L]

Pic from Highways England

I'll be honest; I did imagine they would have removed the rest of the bridge while they had the road closed, but no.

[rw93]

Pic from Highways England

I'll be honest; I did imagine they would have removed the rest of the bridge while they had the road closed, but no.

They are removing the rest of the bridge overnight this weekend (13th/14th October).

[brummie_rob]

Narrow lanes and 50mph speed restrictions now extend all the way from J15 to J14 along with the existing small section around J13. The drainage works associated with the central barrier installation is progressing at pace at the northern end of the scheme with tarmac being applied in some sections for the final concrete barriers to be put in place.

The off-slip at Yarnfield Lane is still progressing but this has mainly been earthworks and strengthening of the embankment. Barrier removal between Stafford Services and J14 is beginning ready to start drainage works here.

[vlad]

They've put signs on pretty much all the bridges to tell the contractors the road name or number. This is something I'd like to be rolled out nationwide regardless of roadworks as I've found it fascinating.

I notice that the fenced bridge at Hanchurch/Trentham isn't labelled, however.

[wrinkly]

They've put signs on pretty much all the bridges to tell the contractors the road name or number.

That also happened on the M62/M60 smartification, though the signs seem to have been removed well before the works were finished.

[mikehindsonevans]

They've put signs on pretty much all the bridges to tell the contractors the road name or number.

That also happened on the M62/M60 smartification, though the signs seem to have been removed well before the works were finished.

This was also done on the M3 J4A to J3 smartification - which, those of us in the area will know only too well, took so long that the signs were hanging off by the end.

[rw93]

They've put signs on pretty much all the bridges to tell the contractors the road name or number. This is something I'd like to be rolled out nationwide regardless of roadworks as I've found it fascinating.

I notice that the fenced bridge at Hanchurch/Trentham isn't labelled, however.

Annoyingly several of them have spelling errors!

At Yarnfield they've also been clearing a field adjacent to the works, any ideas what this will be for? They've already constructed a large depot at Doxey to work from.

[Steven]

They've already constructed a large depot at Doxey to work from.

Aren't they using Doxey services that was constructed along with the motorway in the 1960s?

[brummie_rob]

They've already constructed a large depot at Doxey to work from.

Aren't they using Doxey services that was constructed along with the motorway in the 1960s?

Yes Doxey is in use on the Southbound side with a huge works complex on existing farmland being created. Presumably the farmer earns a pretty penny for his land for four years and then it will be reinstated.

The land clearance at Yarn field looks like it will be a works compound as well possibly.

[nowster]

Permanently labelled overbridges was something that caught my notice driving some of the parkways in Florida back in 1998.

[rw93]

The first parts of the central barrier have now been cast. I've been pleasantly surprised with the pace of these works, it all seems to be moving along a lot quicker than the 16-19 works.

[brummie_rob]

The first parts of the central barrier have now been cast. I've been pleasantly surprised with the pace of these works, it all seems to be moving along a lot quicker than the 16-19 works.

Blimey, I've spent most of last week using the A34 instead as it is quicker now the roadworks at Stone have gone but earlier in the week no casting had took place. Once the first section is done, the contra-flow will be introduced. Be interesting how this affects traffic when it is implemented.

[brummie_rob]

The casting of the concrete seems different to the J16-J19 works; weren't these lifted into place and slightly smaller than older schemes? These ones though seem to be the larger set in the tarmac style blocks similar to J11-J13.