.png)
The A591 runs between Grasmere and Keswick in the Lake District and has been closed between St Johns in the Vale and Dunmail Raise since December following damage caused by storms Desmond and Eva.
Using a 22-tonne excavator, Kier Highways has started on a new concrete retaining wall in the beck at the side of the collapsed part of the A591 at Dunmail Raise.
Once the new concrete retaining wall has been built in the beck, the gap in the road caused by the storm damage will be backfilled with crushed stone and a new road surface laid. A new wall will also be constructed using local stone in front of the retaining wall.
Andy Withington, Highways England’s asset delivery manager for the northwest, said: “Preparatory work and some preliminary construction work are already underway, and we are starting work this week to reconstruct the collapsed part of the road at Dunmail Raise. We will continue to work closely with Kier Highways, Cumbria County Council and its contractors to do all we can to get the A591 repaired and re-opened.”
Work on a second section of damaged road further north has also started. A helicopter survey will provide technical information about the stability of the scree slopes next to the A591. Other survey information is also being used to identify what repairs are required to storm drains, bridges and the road surface so that the A591 can fully re-open by the end of May.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “We are determined to reopen the A591 as soon as possible, and I am pleased the people of Cumbria can see we are making progress. Tourism is a vital part of the local economy, so fixing this road will make a real difference to the region.”
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
