The extension of a noise and safety barrier project for local residents between junctions 6 and 7 of the M621 is likely to go ahead, Highways England has said.
In a letter to affected residents in Hunslet, Highways England Customer and Community Relations Manager Karen Gaunt wrote that extending noise protection “is looking very positive”.
However, the work cannot start until later in the year as Highways England designs the scheme.
Parnaby Road, Westbury Grove, Westbury Place North and surrounding streets are affected directly by the works.
“We’re looking at a combination noise barrier and boundary fence, the exact location and size is still being modelled but it’s looking very positive that we can go ahead,” wrote Ms Gaunt.
“The work will need to take place later in the year because we’ll need to design and plan the scheme.”
It follows an information event in February where residents expressed concerns over noise and work start times.
Highways England is approaching the completion of widening junction 7 and says it will be finished in May.
Work on the barrier installation started in March and the scheme is due to finish in October 2020 and the barrier will be 2.2 or 3 metres tall “to provide the best customer benefits”, according to the leaflet.
“We’re planning to work 24-hours a day to complete the scheme as quickly as we can, carrying out as much of the noisiest work as possible during the day, however where we need to close the road the work will be carried out overnight,” Ms Gaunt explained.
“We’ll need to fully close the main carriageway both clockwise and anti-clockwise for several nights at the start and end of the scheme to install CCTV, temporary barriers and white lines, although closures on the same carriageway will be avoided,” she added.
The slip roads at junctions 6 and 7 will also be closed during the scheme and a week of overnight closures will be required when the junction 7 widening scheme is completed next month.
The compound area is expected to remain in place until the noise barrier scheme is finished in October.
The installation of noise and safety barriers is the second part of phase 1 of Highways England’s plan to improve safety and reduce congestion on the M621.
Phase 1 will widen the slip road and northern part of the roundabout at junction 7 and install noise and safety barrier.
Phase 2, scheduled to start later this year, will focus on making improvements between junctions 1 to 7.
Photo: The Parnabys from the M621 via Google Streetview
This post was amended to give the correct works start date on 13 April.
Do it now through the day and night if necessary close 2 lane’s there’s hardly any traffic be done in half the time
Supposed to be finished in April and now got another 6 months before it is finished how do you get 6 months behind