Plans to redevelop the notorious Simister Island junction at the M60/M66 have been given the go ahead by the Government
Work will see the construction of a new free-flow link (northern loop) from the M60 eastbound to M60 southbound carriageways.
There will be a realignment of the M66 southbound carriageway on the approach to the junction and construction of a new two-lane free-flow road from the M60 northbound to the M60 westbound to replace the existing single-lane, and widen the M66 southbound to four lanes through junction 18.
The scheme will also see the conversion of the hard shoulder into a permanent traffic lane between M60 junctions 17 and 18, providing five lanes in both directions.
Other works will include improvements to signage, signalling and drainage.
The Interchange is one of the busiest motorway junctions in the north-west used by around 90,000 vehicles each day.
The junction struggles with such high volumes of traffic above what it was designed for, and as a result suffers from congestion and poor journey time reliability.
The project will improve junction 18 of the M60 and facilitate smoother flows of traffic along the connecting motorways, contributing to more reliable and safer journeys into and around Greater Manchester says the Highways Commission
