A warning has been issued to motorists as essential roadworks are set to take place over the coming weekend.
Bridge maintenance works will be carried out on the M8 between Junctions 3 and 4, this weekend and also between Friday, September 9 2022 until Monday, September 12 2022.
It was announced earlier this year that the bridge carrying the motorway over the railway at Junction 3A Bathgate will undergo deck refurbishment, and waterproofing replacement works.
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Due to this, the M8 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction, with traffic managed under a contraflow system between Junctions 3 and 4 over the two weekends. It will be in place from 8:30pm on Friday, August 26 until 6am on Monday, August 29.
Then, it will be reinstated from 8:30pm on Friday, September 9 until 6am on Monday, September 12. In addition, slip roads off the M8 at Junction 3A will be closed as follows:
- On the weekend of Friday August 26 to Monday, August 29 , the eastbound M8 slip off will be closed.
Traffic wishing to leave the M8 at Junction 3A will be directed to leave the M8 earlier at Junction 4 and follow the A801 and A7066 towards their destination.
This diversion will add an estimated half a mile and three minutes to affected journeys. The eastbound M8 on-slip will be unaffected.
On the weekend of Friday, September 9 to Monday, August 12, the westbound M8 slip-off will be closed.
Traffic wishing to leave the M8 at Junction 3A will be directed to leave the M8 earlier at Junction 3 and follow the A899, A705 and A779 towards their destination.
This diversion will add an estimated two miles and five minutes to affected journeys. The westbound M8 on-slip will be unaffected.
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Chris Tracey, BEAR Scotland’s South East Unit Bridges Manager, said: “These works are essential to ensuring that this motorway structure continues to provide safe and reliable service for years to come. The waterproofing membrane of this structure was last replaced over 20 years ago and has reached the end of its serviceable life.
“A key benefit will be to reduce the need for reactive closures of the M8 to carry out surfacing repairs caused by underlying bridge deck issues, as has been the case in previous winters.
“The works have been scheduled at weekends in order to minimise travel disruption as much as possible, and the dates have been chosen to avoid key events taking place in communities along the M8 corridor.
“Whilst every effort will be made to ensure that the M8 is fully open to traffic each Monday morning at the end of the weekend working, the extent of concrete repairs required will not be known until the existing surfacing is removed.
"These works are also weather dependent and so could be postponed and rearranged at short notice depending on weather forecasts.
“We thank motorists in advance for their patience and understanding and recommend that they check the latest travel updates and allow extra time for their journeys if they do need to use the M8 on these weekends.”
For more information on travel times and possible disruption over this weekend, check out the Traffic Scotland website here.
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