Motorists face more roadworks misery on the M62 across the Pennines.
Just 10 months after the new ‘smart’ motorway was completed around Huddersfield and Brighouse, work is to start on another long stretch.
And commuters have been warned to expect delays for up to three years.
From today a multi-million pound scheme will get underway to ease long-term congestion between West Yorkshire and Manchester and the M60, near the Trafford Centre.
The Highways Agency’s £208m improvements will see the speed limit reduced to 50mph on 17 miles of carriageway.
Transport bosses have warned that while the project will cut journey times in the long run, motorists can expect slower travel until 2017.
Contractors will upgrade the network between junction 8 of the M60 near Sale and junction 20 of the M62 near Rochdale to a “smart motorway.”
They will install the latest technology to monitor traffic levels, provide traffic information to road users and ease congestion by using variable speed limits on overhead message signs.
The hard shoulder will also be permanently converted into an extra lane on a five-mile stretch of the M62 between junctions 18 and 20.
Engineers will start site surveys and ground investigation work from today.
The temporary speed limit, enforced with temporary average speed cameras, will then gradually be extended across the length of the smart motorway route over the coming weeks and last until the work is completed in 2017.
All of the lanes will remain open during the day throughout the roadworks, but some overnight closures will be needed.
Stephen Greenhalgh, project manager at the Highways Agency, said: “We will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum but motorists are still well advised to leave enough time for their journeys, especially during the busy morning and evening peak periods, and to drive safely through the roadworks.
“To avoid the risk of breaking down, we also encourage people to do their bit by making sure they’ve got enough fuel before they set off and keeping MOTs and services up-to-date.”
Once completed, in autumn 2017, more than 200 new electronic signs on the M60 and M62 will warn drivers of changes in the mandatory speed limit, lane closures, and incidents ahead.
When a 15-mile stretch of the M62 between Junction 25 at Brighouse and Junction 30 at Rothwell was underway, the motorway was frequently brought to a standstill by broken down vehicles and accidents.
Highways chiefs reveal M62 cameras ARE working when signs are off after 'underhand' tactics claim from top lawyer 'Mr Loophole' - read here
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