Smoother journeys for A55 border route in overnight work

Smoother journeys are on the way for drivers using the important A55 route between north Cheshire and North Wales in a £2.5 million overnight project starting this week.

National Highways is resurfacing sections of the A55 from the bridge over the River Dee just east of junction 38 to the Vicars Cross roundabout with the A51 at junction 40.

All the work will be done overnight between 8pm and 6am or 7am on Saturdays and Sundays.  The work is due to be completed at the end of July.

Due to the size of heavy plant required for the resurfacing work regular overnight closures of either the eastbound or westbound carriageways will be in place and drivers are advised to check for information before setting out on journeys.

National Highways project manager Laura Lydiate said:

“This is an important wear and tear project to ensure the A55 continues to provide safe, smooth and reliable journeys for drivers travelling between Chester and North Wales.

“We’ll be taking the opportunity during the overnight closures to do as much other work as possible including completing maintenance tasks such as drain cleaning.”

As well as resurfacing, the work involves renewing road markings, road studs, traffic count loops and bridge joints.

Resurfacing between junction 39 to just north of junction 40 – overnight on Friday 19 July and Monday and Tuesday 22 and 23 July - will require the A55 to be closed from junction 39 up to junction 12 of the M53 with a diversion using the A41 and A56.

Full closures of the eastbound or westbound carriageways between junction 38 and junction 40 will require a longer diversion agreed with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wrexham Council and the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency - with eastbound drivers using the southbound A483, eastbound A5156 and A534 and then northbound A41 up to junction 40.  Westbound drivers leaving the A55 at junction 40 will need to use the southbound A41, westbound A534 and A5156 and northbound A483 up to junction 38.

The current programme of overnight closures, which is subject to change due to weather conditions, includes A55 westbound junction 40 to junction 38 closures on the following dates:

• Thursday 23 May, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 28, 29, 30 and 31 May;
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 5, 6 and 7 June;
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 12, 13 and 14 June;
• Saturday and Sunday 6 and 7 July.

A55 eastbound junction 38 to junction 40 closures will be in place overnight on the following dates:

• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 3, 4 and 5 July;
• Ten nights from Monday 8 July to Thursday 18 July;
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 24, 25 and 26 July.

There will also be some junction 39 to junction 40 eastbound or westbound carriageway closures which will use a straightforward diversion using the parallel A41. 

Westbound Junction 40 to junction 39 closures will be taking place on Monday and Tuesday 3 and 4 June; Monday and Tuesday 10 and 11 June and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 June.

Eastbound junction 39 to junction 40 closures will be taking on Friday 28 June and Monday and Tuesday 1 and 2 July. 

The eastbound exit slip road at junction 39 will be closed overnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 24, 25, 26, and 27 June.

More information about the work and details of the diversion routes is available at:

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/north-west/north-west-maintenance-schemes/