£93.4m Aston Expressway viaduct repair finished early and on budget

A £93.4m project to strengthen the Tame Valley Viaduct on the A38(M) Aston Expressway has been completed ahead of schedule and within budget, securing the future of one of Birmingham's busiest roads.

Birmingham City Council finished the work on 6 August. The Department for Transport contributed £72.1m through its Local Growth Fund, with the council funding the rest.

A vital link to Spaghetti Junction

The 620-metre viaduct opened in 1972 and forms the northern section of the Aston Expressway, between the city centre and Junction 6 of the M6, better known as Spaghetti Junction. It carries more than 90,000 vehicles on a typical weekday.

Structural assessments had shown that the viaduct needed major strengthening. Without the work, the council says, significant weight and width restrictions would have been needed, causing major disruption to drivers, businesses and the wider economy.

Traffic kept moving

Construction began in March 2022 on the complex 21-span structure, which crosses local roads, businesses, electrified railway lines and the River Tame. One of the project's main aims was to keep traffic flowing throughout, and the strengthening has now restored the viaduct's full structural capacity, extending its working life by many decades.

"This was an incredibly complex engineering project, so it is particularly impressive to see that it has been delivered ahead of schedule and within budget, all while keeping traffic flowing," said Councillor Rob Grant, Cabinet Member for Transport.

He added that while the council wants to see fewer vehicles on the roads, especially for short journeys, the route provides a vital connection with the national road network.

Award-winning work

The scheme has already been recognised nationally, winning the Best Large Project award from the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and Best Public Sector Project from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. It is one of the largest highway investments the council has made in recent years.