Newsletter No 8. Week Commencing Monday 2nd November. First published Friday 30th October 2020.
This newsletter is to provide you with an update on the Greengates Junction Improvement works. Please note new traffic management measures remain in place at Greengates junction to enable us to work on all four arms of the junction. Please plan your journey accordingly if you are passing through the junction. Additionally, we are aware that a small number of road users are making dangerous manoeuvres around the traffic management measures which jeopardise the safety of others. Should you witness any dangerous or illegal manoeuvres, please report these directly to West Yorkshire Police. Howard Civil Engineering and Bradford Council would like to thank those who are driving safely through the junction. Your continued patience and understanding as we undertake improvement works are greatly appreciated.
Progress, the past two weeks
We have continued to remove the stone wall alongside the previous Farmfoods entrance on New Line. This will be re-erected in a location closer to the Farmfoods car park using the reclaimed stone. The removal of the existing wall will allow us to undertake reduced dig earthworks in preparation for the widening of the carriage along New Line. We are also working to realign the public Farmfoods car park in anticipation of laying tarmac and white-lining in the run up to Christmas.
The retaining wall inside the P-Loop area and along New Line are now nearing completion. These walls have been constructed using reclaimed stone and copings from the previously dismantled walls. We have also continued to remove the existing footpath along New Line opposite the P-Loop. The KFC sign will be removed and placed in storage today (30th October 2020) to allow us to form the new carriageway. The sign will be reinstalled in a new location closer to the car park in the coming months.
The new slip road in the P-Loop area is also coming along very well. We have successfully installed the ducting for new services, some kerbing, road gullies and stone. Locals will now be able to see the clear outline of how the area will look upon completion.
We have removed the existing bin store in the Greggs car park, and we are currently rebuilding it in the car park of CoreGym. This is in addition to the removal of the grass crete which will be replaced with porous asphalt. Works to realign the Core Gym/Greggs car park are also ongoing. We have installed kerbing to form the new layout and this will also be tarmacked and white-lined in the coming weeks.
The next two weeks
Over the next two weeks, we will be continuing installing the ducting and kerbing to the P-Loop area and preparing the slip road for tarmac ahead of the tarmac being laid. Work will be ongoing to the previous Farmfoods entrance. We will be removing the boundary wall which lines the arm of the junction and undertaking a reduce level dig to ground level under existing traffic management measures. Masonry works will continue to progress to form the new retaining walls along New Line and inside the P-Loop area. We will also be undertaking reduce dig earthworks on New Line in preparation for the installation of drainage, kerbing and ducting, and commencing drainage works. On Harrogate Road, we will be installing a new pipeline which will connect to the existing sewer. We are aiming to complete works to rebuild the bin store at CoreGym, realign the CoreGym/Greggs car park, and finalise gas diversion works at Farmfoods and along New Line.
Traffic Management
Please note current traffic management measures along Harrogate Road have been relocated closer to the arm of the junction to close off the existing Farmfoods entrance while we undertake removal works on this corner. As of Sunday 18th October, roads have been reduced to two lanes in all directions to enable us to progress with ongoing junction widening works. We anticipate that these traffic management measures will be in place for the foreseeable future, certainly throughout the Christmas period. Please allow extra time for travel when passing through the junction. Howard Civil Engineering have worked alongside Bradford Council to ascertain the most efficient traffic management measures to enable us to complete the junction improvement works with the highest consideration for safety of our operatives, road users and pedestrians. We apologise in advance for any disruption and delays which you may encounter as a result of these works and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Howard Civil Engineering in the community
Howard Civil Engineering will be observing a two-minute silence on the 11th November at 11am to pay our respects on Remembrance Day. We look forward to joining other members of the community at Greengates cenotaph who will also be paying their respects at this time. We would also like to invite members of the community to get involved with the Friends of Greengates' weekly litter pick which occurs each Monday at 10am! Howard Civil Engineering are pleased to assist the local community group on their litter pick each week and it has been fantastic to be able to engage with members of the local community on such a personal level. Thank you very much to Michael Frazer and the other volunteers at Friends of Greengates who have been exceptionally welcoming in allowing us to give back to our community. If you would like to volunteer for the Friends of Greengates community group, please get in touch with Michael Frazer here.
Your site contacts
There are several ways you can contact the site team to report faults, voice any concerns or ask any questions you may have. The HRNL Junction Improvement Scheme is managed by the following members of our experienced and highly approachable team: Tony Kilbane (Contracts Manager), Simon Doling (Site Agent), Mick Bottomley (Site Supervisor) and Brendan O'Hara (Site Engineer). Please rest assured there will always be a representative on site during working hours should you have you questions about the scheme. To contact Howard Civil Engineering remotely, please contact your Community Liaison Officer, Sophie Henderson, at greengates.junction@howardcivileng.co.uk or contact 07793654086. To contact a member of Bradford Council, please contact David Aspinall via email at david.aspinall@bradford.gov.uk.
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