Hammersmith Flyover to fully reopen to traffic on 30 May

The Hammersmith Flyover is set to be re-opened completely on May 30, well in time ffor the Olympics. It will, however, be shut comepletely during the night for two weeks in what will bring to an end a period which has seen much of Hammersmith reduced to little more than a car park and spawned the term 'Jammersmith' among locals and led to fiery scenes in Parliament.

This is of course months later than our own Council told us.

The works, which began in January, have seen around 200m of the central reservation along the flyover removed, a new structural slab and concrete barriers installed, as well as tailored anchorages for the new cables within the structure.

Last month, around 22km of new cables were installed above and below the bridge deck as part of a bespoke design, which will supplement the load capacity of the existing cables. These new cables are surrounded by wax oil to prevent deterioration and allow inspection and replacement if required in the future.

In order to carry out the final elements of this work, including resurfacing and relining the carriageway across the flyover, TfL will be carrying out two weeks of overnight closures to the flyover from 15 May until 30 May between 22:00 and 06:00. By carrying out these works overnight, TfL can complete these vital phases of work more quickly and efficiently, minimising disruption to all road users in the area.

During the scheduled closures listed above, traffic will be diverted around the Hammersmith gyratory system. People are advised to consider alternative routes to complete their journey where possible. Once these works are completed, the flyover will be able to carry full traffic loading during the Games and for many decades to come.

Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer for Surface Transport at TfL, said:

“The Hammersmith Flyover is a vital artery for London and our engineers have been working non stop since December to deliver a solution which allows us to fully reopen the flyover to all traffic as quickly as possible.

“The final phase of works to prepare the carriageway for full reopening is now well underway and are scheduled to be completed by 30 May; well ahead of the London 2012 Games.”

TfL will return to the structure during 2013 to strengthen the remaining spans. This work will be carried out, where possible, with no weight or lane restrictions and minimal closures to the flyover, which will be coordinated by TfL to minimise traffic disruption.