THE M4 will close for a full weekend in October so that work can be carried out on the A432 Badminton Road bridge.
National Highways, which is responsible for the bridge works, has announced that the motorway will be closed in both directions from 7pm on Friday October 18 to 6am on Monday October 21, between Junction 18 at Tormarton and Junction 19 at Hambrook.
Workers will dig a trench to be dug under the motorway during the closure, to carry utilities such as pipes and cables that are currently inside the bridge structure, which is due to be demolished next year.
The agency has warned that, with up to 4,000 vehicles using the affected stretch of the M4 every hour over “peak weekend periods”, the closure is “likely to cause substantial disruption”.
It is advising drivers to avoid the area where possible and plan journeys for alternative times.
National Highways route manager Sean Walsh said: “This is one of the busiest sections of motorway in the South West, which is why we are giving drivers as much notice as possible so they’re able to plan their journeys well in advance.
“We carefully plan our schemes to limit any inconvenience, but sometimes it’s not possible to carry out the work that’s needed without a closure.
‘Avoid the area if you can’
“Our message for anyone who plans to travel on the M4 around Bristol is to avoid the area if you can – if that’s not possible, allow yourself plenty of extra time to complete your journey via our signed diversion routes and expect delays.”
The old bridge, which was built in 1966, was condemned last year after “structural failures” were found during a routine inspection.
It was immediately closed to motor traffic but remains open to cyclists and pedestrians.
It severed the A432, the main road between Yate and Bristol, north of the Avon Ring Road.
During the summer National Highways moved back the date that the bridge will be demolished until next March.