LOCAL residents are being warned to expect disruption in March, with Mottram Moor set to close completely for three weekends.
The full closures will affect all traffic, with no access through the major Tameside route during the affected weekends.
National Highways say the closures are needed to allow construction of a new plant crossing, which will be used to move materials safely across the A57 during the next phase of the Link Roads project.
Alongside the weekend closures, motorists are also being advised to allow extra time for weekday journeys. Throughout March, Mottram Moor will be reduced to a single lane in each direction during weekdays, which is expected to lead to delays, particularly at peak travel times.
During the weekend closures, diversion routes will be clearly signposted by the A57 Woolley Bridge, A626, A627, A560, and M67 Junction 4.
High-sided vehicles, of over 16 feet, will be diverted along a separate route using the A6017, M60 Junction 25, M60 Junction 24, and M67 Junction 4.
The works form part of the wider £228 million A57 Link Roads scheme, a long-running infrastructure project aimed at easing congestion on one of the main routes between Manchester and Sheffield.
Plans include a new dual carriageway from the end of the M67, running through a Mottram underpass to the A57 east of Back Moor, as well as a new single carriageway linking Mottram Moor to Woolley Bridge.
Two new junctions – Mottram Moor Junction and Woolley Bridge Junction – are also planned, alongside upgrades to M67 junction 4. The project will deliver five new structures in total, including the Roe Cross Road Overbridge, the Mottram Underpass, and the River Etherow Bridge.
The full scheme is currently scheduled to be completed in 2028.