Following the announcement a fortnight ago, Akers Way will be closed until the end of October after a large number of additional defects were uncovered in the concrete road base within the final phase.
The Council’s contractor started work on the fifth and final phase of the scheme last week between Nova Hreod Academy and Cheney Manor Industrial Estate but, after taking off the asphalt road surface, the condition of the concrete base was in a much worse condition than originally envisaged.
In order to carry out the extra repairs, the road will remain closed to through traffic until the end of October, although access to Nova Hreod Academy will remain via the west section of Akers Way.
Residents living in Beaney View and Slade Street will have no access to Akers Way during the final phase.
The bollards have been lifted between Slade Street and Bates Way to allow access from Moredon Road.
So far the Akers Way upgrade has seen the reconstruction of the majority of the mile-long carriageway, along with significant improvements to the existing on road and off road parking arrangements and a new and improved section of cycleway.
The Diversion route for the last phase of work will continue to be: Purton Road, Moredon Road, Cheney Manor Road and Akers Way. The diversion route will continue to be clearly signed in both directions for the duration of the works.
The work on Akers Way is designed to address problems with the deteriorating concrete base of the road.
A complex but cost-effective solution has been devised which combines modifications to the concrete road base slabs and includes a specially designed thicker road surfacing material layer on top.
The design will increase the flexibility of the road and provide a longer-lasting protective surface over the road structure below.
