On the Road to Success!
Manchester Engineers Give the M60 Motorway a Facelift!
It seems Manchester??s Engineers are on the ??road?? to success in their construction and development of the M60 motorway!
The programme, which aspires to enhance the surrounding area, began in Spring 2004 and it is planned to be completed in Spring 2006. The project has involved controlled explosions, the demolition of old bridges for the building of new, and the widening of roads from Junctions 5-8.
FACT: After the removal of its steel reinforcements, the demolition of the slip road bridge at Junction Seven still took approximately 500lbs of explosives!
It would appear that the weak soil which lines the M60 would be a problem for the engineers as the ground is unable to hold heavy structures, which would subside if measures were not taken. Thanks to the ingenuity of the road engineers as AMEC, Alfred McAlpine and Highways Agency, such obstacles did not create a ??bump in the road??! For example, at Junction Eight, polystyrene slabs have been used to reduce the weight of the concrete and to enable the weak soil to harbour the roads.
BUT what impacts will the developments of the motorway have on local residents and the surrounding environment? Special measures have been taken. At Junction Seven special drains have been installed under the earth to allow for water filtration without the risk of landslides. Also, trees and shrubs have been planted and a fence erected to reduce the noise levels and effectively ??screen?? the motorway traffic. Additionally, the motorway surface is made from a new type of asphalt that reduces tyre noise.
Submitted by: Shelley Deasey, SETPOINT Greater Manchester, 18 May 2005
