DEANSGATE will be blocked for three weeks in the latest phase of a major project to upgrade Victorian water mains.
The main route through Manchester will close to through traffic from Friday, August 1, at the junction with Quay Street and Peter Street.
The work is expected to cause traffic chaos. It will be carried out from 8am until 4am seven days a week in a bid to keep disruption to a minimum.
Quay Street was closed this week between Byrom Street and Deansgate while engineers carried out preparatory work.
It is part of an £8 million project to upgrade water pipes by May 2009.
Ian Ford, United Utilities project engineer, explained why they had to close Deansgate.
He said: "This major junction is nearly as busy below ground as it is above. A number of key water mains converge here as well as other utility services such as gas, so unfortunately there is no safe way we can replace the pipes without closing the road.
"This is one of the most awkward corners we have to negotiate so we have been planning this stage for months now with Manchester council."
United Utilities will co-ordinate the work with Northern Gas Alliance who will carry out gas pipe replacements at the same time.
Mr Ford said he was grateful for motorists' patience and added: "The priority is to keep disruption to a minimum. We won't be able to work on top of one another at the same time but we'll make full use of every day the junction is closed."
He said they would stick to their commitment to have all work completed in time for the city's Pride festival on the August bank holiday weekend. The project is continuing on other routes into the city centre. Workmen have started a three-month phase on the out-bound carriageway of Oldham Road, between Great Ancoats Street and Collyhurst Street. They will then move on to the city-bound carriageway for a further three months.
A spokesman for United Utilities said that the Deansgate phase was a `priority'.
He said: "In certain cases we've had to think of residents' well-being. Manchester city centre is home to a lot more people now and we don't want to cause them disruption throughout the night.
"Having said that Deansgate is one of the city's busiest roads and will be working almost around the clock every day."
What do you think? Have your say.
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Voice of Sanity (25/07/2008 at 06:31)
Audenshaw Bob (25/07/2008 at 07:01)
By the way, look at the photo used here, the main street in the city centre, oh how busy, what a congested city we live in.
Audenshaw Bob (25/07/2008 at 07:03)
MC Spanner (25/07/2008 at 07:03)
Nobody could be that cynical!!!!
shayla (25/07/2008 at 08:06)
Just a coincidence that they are consulting on congestion at the same time?
No, it's been engineered to make people wish they could leave the car at home.
So obvious, they are trying to force us into a congested state to justify the charge!
Don't by it, it's a con! and you are being manipulated!
Chris, Irlam (25/07/2008 at 09:03)
Net result is longer to get across the roundabout and therefore longer queues.
Just in time for the public consultation on the Toll Tax - nice.
Kiwi-blue, Christchurch NZ (25/07/2008 at 09:10)
Munkey Boy (25/07/2008 at 09:43)
Oh, no, hang on, that's not entirely true, is it?
mahavishnu bbz, bury (25/07/2008 at 09:56)
Rick D'alaglio (25/07/2008 at 10:13)
Asdablue (25/07/2008 at 10:21)
Madness
we deserve better (25/07/2008 at 10:52)
I've probably disagreed with every post you've ever made and possibly likely to make...except this one.
Roadworks are roadworks, there's no conspiracy.
Dave (25/07/2008 at 11:02)
Road Safety Officer, Manchester (25/07/2008 at 11:03)
Well said! But I think you will have your work cut out with all these conspiracy theorists!
Oh look, Diana has just been murdered by an MI5 officer who looks just like Elvis and is standing on a grassy knoll.
Councillor Allheart, in a black cab (25/07/2008 at 11:21)
You can't knock their timimg.
AlexisV (25/07/2008 at 12:21)
Road Safety Officer, Manchester (25/07/2008 at 14:38)
Why would United Utilites be interested in resurfacing the entire length of Deansgate? Its not their job. They only reinstate the bits they dig up as part of the job. I think you are assuming all those who dig up the roads must be the council. Having a patchwork of surfaces where reinstatements have been made does not neccesarily make it unsafe.
citycentre, manchester (25/07/2008 at 16:18)
so some roads are closed for improvement (A34, East Lancs, Parrs wood), and this is a bad thing?
so they should be left to decay?
people complain if the roads are in a poor state then complain if they are repaired
ace, manchester (25/07/2008 at 16:31)
I just wonder if the new contravtors with all their modern technology will last a hundred years,somehow i dont think so? I see roadworks that was done a few months ago re-opened on a monthly basis because of bad workmanship and cheap materials.
drew peacock, stockport (25/07/2008 at 17:36)
It's a difficult situation, but it's a case of balancing everyones needs and compromising.
Fran M (Permissum Populus Constituo), Stockport (26/07/2008 at 18:07)
Like the slip road onto the M60 at Bredbury which comes onto the Motorway in the 3rd lane. Probably the cheap option as well.
MC Spanner (27/07/2008 at 21:22)
Oh look, Diana has just been murdered by an MI5 officer who looks just like Elvis and is standing on a grassy knoll"
I stand corrected. I mean our government wouldn't lie to us about anything. Weapons of mass destruction, party donations, refernda.....
Kalamity Karney [AKA Scrotnig], Gorton (28/07/2008 at 10:40)
A conspiracy theory too far.
citycentre, manchester (29/07/2008 at 09:13)
and, no i suppose the water companies profits will come first since, not like the last time. not the the government sold off the utilities, that would be the tory government of course, the one you are desparatly waiting for to replace gordon brown and new labour.
by the way, since the only actual policy future pm cameron has signed up to is a nice juicy tax cut for his rich friends (inheritance tax), what do you think will be sold off to pay for that?
as many bits of the NHS as they can get away with to huge american companies sniffing after vast profits is my guess