A new bridge located on one of the busiest motorways in the UK is set to open next Monday with drivers warned to expect delays as diversions get put in place.
The bridge, located on Junction 10 of the M25, which provides access to Wisley Lane near Woking, will open to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders on November 11.
While the opening marks one of the first large-scale accomplishments by National Highways and forms part of the ongoing upgrade project to the busy motorway, drivers have been warned of the impact on traffic.
The opening will bring significant changes for drivers, as the existing access points off and onto the A3 at the old Wisley Lane will be permanently closed.
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The bridge will open to drivers on Monday, November 11
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
From Monday, drivers will need to follow new routes to access Wisley Lane and RHS Garden Wisley. For southbound A3 traffic, access will be via a new turning on the left between the A3 slip road exit and Ockham Lane North (B2039).
Drivers should then cross the new Wisley Bridge, following the brown signs to reach their destination. Northbound A3 traffic will need to travel to the M25 junction 10 gyratory to turn around and approach from the southbound direction.
The one-mile stretch of the new road will serve both regular Wisley Lane traffic and visitors to RHS Garden Wisley.
These changes come after recent weekend closures in October, which saw the implementation of new jet lanes to help traffic flow through the junction without traffic signals.
Motorists are being urged to take extra care while adjusting to the new road configuration. In a significant engineering achievement, the new Clearmount bridge was successfully installed last weekend (November 2-3) using an innovative method.
The 450-tonne steel and concrete structure was constructed off-site during the summer and positioned alongside the M25 for two months.
Using self-propelled modular transporters, the 61-metre-long bridge was jacked up and carefully moved 300 metres along the motorway to its final position.
This marked the first time such an installation method has been used on the M25, eliminating the need for a full weekend closure.
The road reopened more than two hours ahead of schedule following the installation. The new Clearmount bridge will provide wider, improved access for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders crossing the motorway, replacing the original bridge demolished in March.
Daniel Kittredge, National Highways Senior Project Manager, said: “The opening of the Clearmount and Wisley Lane bridges are significant milestones for the M25 Junction 10 project, which will help reduce congestion, create a smoother flow of traffic and provide safer journeys for thousands every day.
“The original Clearmount bridge was demolished during the first full weekend closure of the M25 in March as it was not long enough to span the new slip roads.”
He added that the new Clearmount bridge would be “wider and provide an improved way for people to navigate over the M25 by foot, bike or horseback”.
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Diversions will be in place while for certain routes near the bridge are opened
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
Looking ahead to 2025, the M25 Junction 10 improvement project will continue with several major developments.
Plans include changes to the gyratory and the installation of additional bridges, including the green bridge at Cockcrow. Drivers should note that two full weekend closures of the M25 are scheduled for 2025.
The specific dates for these closures will be announced by National Highways in due course. These improvements form part of the Government’s commitment to modernising England’s motorways and major A roads.