The entire length of the M62 through Huddersfield will become a managed motorway.
And the Government will confirm today it is also to commission a viability study for a tunnel under the Pennines to link Manchester with Sheffield.
The plans are described by transport bosses as being part of the biggest upgrade of roads in a generation which will “drive forward” the Northern Powerhouse project with the “smart” motorway along the entire length of the M62 from Manchester to Leeds and work on the M1.
But it will inevitably mean massive disruption for motorists using the motorway for at least two years with a huge amount of construction necessary.
It took two years to convert the stretch of the M62 from Junction 25 at Brighouse to Junction 30 at Leeds in to a managed motorway, which allows the hard shoulders to be used at busy times - effectively adding an extra lane - and variable speed limits to be used to ease congestion. The road carries a staggering 144,000 vehicles every day.
All of the road plans to be announced today will top £15 billion.
Locally the government investment is as follows:
Trans-Pennine Tunnel Study: Study of the viability of a tunnel under the Pennines to link Manchester and Sheffield.
M1: Junction 32 (M18 interchange) to 35a (A616): upgrading to Smart Motorway including hard shoulder running.
M1: Junction 39 (Denby Dale) to Junction 42 (M62 interchange): upgrading to Smart Motorway including hard shoulder running.
M621 Junctions 1-7 improvements: Junction enhancements and localised widening of sections of the M621 in central Leeds.
M62/M606 Chain Bar: Provision of a slip road to provide a direct link from the M62 westbound to the M606 northbound.
M62 Junctions 20-25: Smart motorways (SM) across the Pennines, from Rochdale to Brighouse. Links two existing SM sections to create a continuous smart route from Leeds to Manchester.
A628 Climbing Lanes: A628 Woodhead Bridge: provision of two eastbound climbing lanes near Woodhead Bridge and Salter’s Brook Bridge.
M1/M62 Lofthouse Interchange: Major enhancement to provide additional capacity at M62/M1 Lofthouse Interchange.
M1 Junctions 35A-39: Additional lane of capacity for A1(M) around Doncaster, upgrading the oldest stretch of two-lane motorway still in service.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Roads are key to our nation’s prosperity. For too long they have suffered from under-investment.”
For the North East and Yorkshire the 18 schemes will be worth around £2.3 billion and estimated to create 1,500 construction jobs; the nine schemes in the North West will be worth £800 million and estimated to create 600 jobs.
The Highways Agency will become a Government-owned company; they say it will save the taxpayer at least £2.6 billion over the next ten years.
Chair of the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, said: “World class infrastructure is vital if we are to build a stronger economy, but it matters in other ways to.
“It invigorates communities and gives people more opportunities to get on in life.
“This is why I have ensured that this government has prioritised funding roads, and railways, at a high level for future generations.”
There will also be a £300 million environmental fund to mitigate carbon emission and reduce the number of people affected by serious noise by 250,000, with funding for new charge points for Low Emission Vehicles every 20 miles across the road network.
