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Minister Opens Inner Relief Road
The Minister for Transport, Rosie Winterton MP officially opened Sheffield’s Inner Relief Road on Thursday 22nd November.
Transport Minister, Rosie Winterton said: "This Government is committed to investing in our roads where it can make a real difference. Not only will this new road ease congestion, but by removing traffic from the City Centre it will make Sheffield a better place to live, work, and do business. It will also unlock several regeneration sites around the city centre, which I hope will bring new investment to the city."
Rosie Winterton MP marked the official opening by switching on one of the Variable Messaging Signs around the route, part of the South Yorkshire Intelligent Transport System (syITS). syITS aims to provide a centrally controlled traffic management and information system for South Yorkshire, linking to national, regional and neighbouring systems and providing high quality public and private transport options for travellers.
Councillor Bryan Lodge, Cabinet Member for Transport and Streetscene at Sheffield City Council said: “Already, many elements of the syITS have been put into place, and now the Inner Relief Road is approaching completion we will see how the system can interact with the city’s new highway network. We will be introducing access improvements gradually to give motorists a chance to get used to the new road layouts. Implementations will be announced as they go into force and localised signage will advise drivers”
Shalesmoor Reopens
Progress on the city’s Northern Inner Relief Road continues as Shalesmoor reopens to traffic this week. From 8th November motorists will be able to access the route into the city along Shalesmoor and Gibraltar Street to West Bar.
The roundabout at Shalesmoor will become fully operational from Wednesday with all vehicle and cycle lanes running. Controlled pedestrian crossing points on the roundabout will also become available for use.
Buses travelling from Penistone Road will revert to using their normal route into the City (along Shalesmoor and Gibraltar street to West Bar) with new stops in both directions. It is hoped that journey times will be slightly reduced although the full network of the road is not in its final layout and so the Transport Executive will be monitoring progress prior to making any necessary timetable amendments in the new year.
For more information see Inner Relief Road.
Beams of Steel
Four steel beams, which form part of a new bridge in the latest section of the inner relief
road, have now been lifted in position.
The new bridge, which is being built in the Wicker Arches, will allow road traffic to pass through the Wicker under the existing railway line to reach the new relief road.
The bridge is being built in two phases to allow the railway line to continue functioning while work's being carried out. The second phase will be in Spring 2006 when the bridge will be clad in stone.
Work Begins on New Relief Road Junction - September 2005
For about 12 months from Sunday 4th September Spital Hill will become one way, in the out of town direction. For traffic coming into town, there will be a diversion marked along Gower Street, Sutherland Street and Attercliffe Road where traffic can join Savile Street and onto the Wicker.
The diversion makes way for work to commence on buillding a new retaining wall around the corner of Spital Hill. This will be followed by the construction of a new junction at Spital Hill, Savile Street and the Wicker.
Motorists will have already seen the buildings at the bottom of the Spital Hill demolished over the last few months. They have made way for a new link to the relief road from the new junction at Savile Street and Spital Hill.
The link road will go under the Wicker arches close to the junction of Johnson Street and Walker Street via a new ‘under bridge’ that will be constructed.
General traffic will use this new link road to get onto the relief road so the amount of traffic on the Wicker will be reduced.
First Section of Relief Road Opened
From about 4th September, instead of turning right directly into Nursery Street from Corporation Street, motorists will use a short loop, which will eventually become part of a new roundabout, to join Nursery Street. It means work on the new bridge over the River Don can progress to the Nursery Street side. For the first few months necessary diversions for electricity, gas, telephones etc will be made. After that, piling will begin and the new bridge’s abutments will be built.
When using the new loop, motorists will be able to see the route of the road take shape, where it is to go and the extensive roadworks and retaining walls that have been constructed over the last six months. Forty thousand tonnes of the excavated earth will be put to good use in another road scheme in Sheffield - maintenance work on the Mosborough Parkway.
Major Eyesore to be removed by Council
Work began on Monday 18th April on a significant phase of Sheffield’s new Inner Relief Road when workmen started demolishing the former Wigfalls offices on Brunswick Road.
The building has remained disused for many years and suffered from a fire and vandalism since its closure.
The Council’s Head of Development Services, David Curtis said: “This building has become an eyesore on the city’s skyline in recent years and its removal will not only improve the local environment, but represents an important stage in the development of the Inner Relief Road.”
On the Road to being Recycled - 3rd March 2005
Motorists using Corporation Street can see signs of construction getting underway for the next section of the Inner Relief Road. Diggers are busy excavating earth from behind a retaining wall opposite the junction of Corporation Street and Nursery Street.
40,000 tonnes of the excavated earth will be put to good use in another road scheme in Sheffield - maintenance work on Mosborough Parkway that will be underway later in the year.
The diggers are expected to be around for four to five weeks, excavating the land for the new road. After the earth behind the wall has been taken out, the wall will be knocked down.
'President Clinton' gives thumbs up to relief road - 24th February 2005
The youngest president of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Colin Clinton, has visited Sheffield's Inner Relief Road to commend the way Sheffield City Council and the contractors, Birse CL, are working together.
The ICE Yorkshire Region has recently commended both the City Council and Birse CL with an award for the success of the ECI in the Inner Relief Road project.
Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is a new method of procuring work aimed at speeding up the delivery of new road schemes. It brings together suppliers and designers earlier in a scheme's conception than previously occurred, allowing them to work together more closely. Skills and expertise can be shared and it boosts innovation, best practice and value for money. ECI is a way of working that's encouraged by the industry and the Highways Agency.
Demolition of the Nags Head
The Nags Head Pub was demolished in mid January, as the Sheffield Inner Relief Road Scheme commenced. The pub had to be taken down to allow for major improvements to the Shalesmoor/Penistone Road junction.
It is the first of 40 buildings to be demolished as part of the scheme, the majority of which are older commercial/industrial buildings. Most of the materials from the demolition works are to be recycled - the timber will be sent for pulping, the brickwork will be crushed and reused as aggregates, and the majority of the stonework and slate tiles will be re-used for new buildings and refurbishments.
The Council intends to redevelop the surrounding area for office use.
Grouting the Wicker Arches
Former mine workings at the end of the Wicker Rail Viaduct are being filled, or ‘grouted’ so that the the construction of a new rail bridge which will allow a section of the new relief road to pass under the rail line can start.
The old workings are being drilled and grouted over a period of about eight weeks, during which time in excess of eight kilometres of drilling will take place to an average depth of 25 metres. The process could use up to around 2700 tons of grout mixture to fill the voids.
Pitsmoor has a history of mining from the 1800’s, when bell pits were dug in order to mine coal for local use. This is how Pitsmoor got its name. Bell pits are so called because of their shape. A shaft is first dug into a hillside or down into the ground. The coal is then extracted in all directions, creating a bell shaped void. In some of the larger bell pits columns of un-mined coal were left to support the roof to stop it from caving in.
Construction Work Starts - 25th November 2004
Transport Minister Tony McNulty came to Sheffield to ceremonially mark the beginning of construction work on the new relief road.
He was joined by Council Leader Jan Wilson, representatives from the Contractors Birse CL and also members of the Sheffield's Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said: "The new relief road is good news for motorists, who should notice a marked reduction in congestion and more reliable journey times."
"Diverting traffic away from local city centre roads will bring environmental improvements in the city centre and will help to open up opportunities for local economic development."
"The relief road is fundamental to the successful delivery of the masterplan to rejuvenate the centre of Sheffield to become an attractive, modern city with good development opportunities and effective local transport systems."
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