The Connect Plus consortium of Balfour Beatty, Atkins, Skanska and Egis Road Operation looks after the road for the Highways Agency.
Fifteen millimetre long crack were first spotted in a weld in Boston Manor viaduct back in April, necessitating weight restrictions. Remedial works had been carried out but on Thursday night (6/7 July) further cracks were found and the motorway was closed in both directions as a precaution.
The Highways Agency said in a statement: “In entering the final stages of this complex work we found a further crack in a highly stressed zone over the bridge supports. This requires a unique repair solution, which we are currently designing, which requires us to keep the viaduct closed until the repair is complete.”
The motorway is expected to reopen on Thursday and all work is still expected to be completed for the start of the Olympic Games later this month.
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