M27 Closure and 60 mile Westbound diversion route

[Peter350]

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-region ... -1-8645636

The M27 will be closed between Junctions 3 and 5 this weekend to allow for the A3057 Romsey Road bridge to be replaced.

What I don’t understand however is why Westbound traffic is being taken on a 60 mile detour via the M3, A34, A303 and A338. Surely it would be easier just to send it via the A27 & A3090, which is the way Eastbound traffic will be diverted.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-region ... -1-8645636

The M27 will be closed between Junctions 3 and 5 this weekend to allow for the A3057 Romsey Road bridge to be replaced.

What I don’t understand however is why Westbound traffic is being taken on a 60 mile detour via the M3, A34, A303 and A338. Surely it would be easier just to send it via the A27 & A3090, which is the way Eastbound traffic will be diverted.

Surely westbound traffic would be better off using the A335, A35 and A36 to rejoin the M27 / A31 route or to continue on the A36 to Salisbury. Any time lost travelling for a few miles through the suburbs of Southampton would surely be less than the amount of time spent travelling over the much longer official diversion, particularly when that route involves driving through another city anyway.

[Johnathan404]

There is an advertised local diversion and a long-distance diversion.

There are two problems I can think of. The first is where to close the road westbound. Close it at J5 and M3 traffic will be needlessly diverted, close it at J4 and everyone will ignore it and end up on the M3. Still, nobody with any sense will be following the official diversion.

The second is Bullington Cross.

I’m more interested in the eastbound diversion which splits in three, seeing as one of them passes under a low bridge. That signage better be clear.

[KeithW]

I would venture to suggest that dumping both the westbound and eastbound traffic onto local roads would cause chaos. No doubt those with local knowledge driving cars and LGV's will plan their own diversions but looking at the A27/A3090 route while the eastbound route looks reasonable sending a solid stream of HGV's along the Romsey Bypass both ways looks like a bad idea to me.

[Peter350]

I would venture to suggest that dumping both the westbound and eastbound traffic onto local roads would cause chaos. No doubt those with local knowledge driving cars and LGV's will plan their own diversions but looking at the A27/A3090 route while the eastbound route looks reasonable sending a solid stream of HGV's along the Romsey Bypass both ways looks like a bad idea to me.

I think the thing to do is split the traffic flows as soon as it leaves the motorway. For example, at M27 Junction 3, Winchester bound traffic should be directed up the A3057 and rejoin the M3 at Chilworth, while M27 east traffic should be directed down the M271, Brownhill Way, Lords Hill Way, Lordswood Road and A35 Burgess Road, before rejoining the motorway at Junction 5. Traffic heading between points further afield could use alternative routes, such as the A303, A338 and A354

[sotonsteve]

Diversion routes are being kept out of Southampton as much as possible. Many parts of the A35 around the north of Southampton is largely at a standstill during the day.

[WHBM]

Is it not Highways England policy to only divert along their "own roads".

Further, if people get stuck in jams along the more obvious direct alternatives, HE can glibly say "not our recommended diversion, don't complain to us".

[Patrick Harper]

I'm curious as to whether the new bridge will permit a continuous hard shoulder, if the land is available.

[Johnathan404]

I'm curious as to whether the new bridge will permit a continuous hard shoulder, if the land is available.

No because the aim is to get it do everything as quickly as possible, so it has to be a like-for-like replacement.

I’d like to see the new bridge make better use of all the space above but as it’s going to be replaced in two phases that sounds unlikely.

[Patrick Harper]

According to some 3D renders, it will.

[WHBM]

No because the aim is to get it do everything as quickly as possible, so it has to be a like-for-like replacement.

It is perfectly possible to do a substantial enhanced overbridge roll-in with a brief possession. In fact one was done just a couple of weeks ago on the A14 at Cambridge. I believe having booked the weekend it was done and the carriageway reopened by the Saturday night.

[Johnathan404]

Indeed it is, but adding a hard shoulder where there is currently concrete requires a lane closure which is supposedly something they don’t like, especially seeing as Highways England’s own publicity for this scheme states that the motorway is heavily congested.

However if they say they can do it then good luck to them. There will be complaints about it being so close to the major work happening at J4.

It also looks like the new bridge will be in the position of one of the old carriageways only. Much as I love redundancy it did seem excessive at this location.

[RichardA35]

No because the aim is to get it do everything as quickly as possible, so it has to be a like-for-like replacement.

It is perfectly possible to do a substantial enhanced overbridge roll-in with a brief possession. In fact one was done just a couple of weeks ago on the A14 at Cambridge. I believe having booked the weekend it was done and the carriageway reopened by the Saturday night.

But not opened to traffic, as the diaphragm pours above the abutments have to be carried out later.

[Berk]

What’s the reason for the replacement. Has it become life expired??

[KeithW]

No because the aim is to get it do everything as quickly as possible, so it has to be a like-for-like replacement.

It is perfectly possible to do a substantial enhanced overbridge roll-in with a brief possession. In fact one was done just a couple of weeks ago on the A14 at Cambridge. I believe having booked the weekend it was done and the carriageway reopened by the Saturday night.

Sunday afternoon actually. They were new bridges fabricated on site and with the abutments already in place and they had to fabricate the new bridges on site. It took months of preparation work to get that far. Doable when you are building a new D3M motorway less so for an in situ replacement.

[Richardf]

Indeed it is, but adding a hard shoulder where there is currently concrete requires a lane closure which is supposedly something they don’t like, especially seeing as Highways England’s own publicity for this scheme states that the motorway is heavily congested.

HE don't seem too bothered about hard shoulders these days. Bit short sighted not to build a wider bridge though. More future proofed should HS running be needed/fesable in the future.

[Euan]

Maybe the long diversion is set up so that it can be used by traffic from roads such as the M3 and the A34 travelling in the direction of Bournemouth/Dorchester and to keep it well away from the smaller roads around Southampton. My dad has been down that way for work on a number of occassions and he tells me that even the more local roads can get really congested, at least compared to what we're used to.

[Richardf]

Sounds like drivers will be ignoring the diversion and relying on their satnavs. Which will result in extra traffic in Southampton, what HE wanted desperately to avoid, but given the lack of an alternative to a massive detour you can hardly blame drivers for not wanting to make that detour, especially if driving is their living.

[Richardf]

What’s the reason for the replacement. Has it become life expired??

Shouldn't be, it's only 40 years old but I believe there is a structural fault with the bridge that can't be fixed so they are having to replace it.

Doesn't bode well for other bridges on the same age on that section of motorway.

[Johnathan404]

Doesn't bode well for other bridges on the same age on that section of motorway.

Well in the last 7 years they’ve already had to repair the bridges through J12, through J9, between J2 and J3 and between J5 and J7, they’ve replaced the Paulsgrove footbridge and there is one near J11 scheduled for replacement due to ALR so there aren’t that many bridges left to fail!