Portadown traffic changes around Tesco, McDonald's and the Meadows Shopping Centre due to NI Water pipeline works
Road users in Portadown are being advised of traffic changes coming into effect this week as a result of the ongoing major wastewater works in the town.
NI Water’s £7.8m wastewater upgrade continues to progress and in the latest development, Meadow Lane and Portmore Street are due to be reopened on Thursday, October 3 with work getting underway on the fourth major connection - adjacent to Meadow Lane East car park.
NI Water Senior Project Manager, Lisa Hughes explained that this next major connection - which is the last of the connections in relation to the new large diameter sewer - will take place in the vicinity of the car park.
"To facilitate the extensive open-cut pipelaying work, our contractor BSG will need to fence off a small section of Meadow Lane East car park and implement a footpath and lane closure on the access road off Meadow Lane towards the car park.
"This means there will be no left turn for vehicles off Meadow Lane from Thursday, October 3 for around two weeks.
"Access to Tesco and the Meadows Shopping Centre will be via the entrance to McDonald’s while this work is ongoing. Meadow Lane East car park will remain open and access to the car park will be available from the Meadows Shopping Centre / Tesco car park.”
To help maintain traffic flow along Meadow Lane and into the Meadows Shopping Centre / McDonald’s, vehicles exiting the access road alongside Meadow Lane East car park, past BSG’s work area, will only be able to turn right onto Meadow Lane.
Commuters who want to take a left onto Meadow Lane, to proceed in the direction of Thomas Street, should exit directly out of the Meadows Shopping Centre car park.
"Signage will be in place to direct traffic and pedestrians and as always, our contractor will make every effort to complete the work in the shortest possible timescale,” said Lisa Hughes.
"We are delighted to be at the point of starting our last major pipeline connection in relation to the laying of the large diameter sewer as part of this extensive NI Water scheme.
“Almost 400m of 1500mm diameter sewer has been laid under Meadow Lane by tunnelling and over 200m has been laid by open-cut excavation in relation to these major connections.
“Going forward, additional connections, in relation to the stormwater network and to facilitate the closure of five storm overflows, will still be required. We will provide an update to residents, businesses and the public ahead of any further traffic management being implemented.
"The project team from NI Water, BSG and McAdam, remains grateful to the local community, wider public and other stakeholders for their continued patience and support during the ongoing £7.8m Meadow Lane Wastewater Upgrade Project. Over 53,000 manhours have been employed to date by BSG on the construction of the new modern pumping station, stormwater tank and associated pipelines.
"When complete next year, this significant NI Water project will reduce the risk of out-of-sewer flooding, support local development and deliver extensive environmental improvements in the Portadown area.”