Excellent progress is being made to the £90million Church Village Bypass scheme and throughout the summer the construction project has become even more visible to residents and visitors alike.
This project is the culmination of a successful campaign involving residents from surrounding communities over many years and is seen as a major step forward in alleviating the heavily congested roads near their homes.
Projected traffic growth in the future will only add to this congestion and the provision of the Church Village Bypass will remove through traffic from residential streets and commercial areas, providing environmental and safety benefits to all areas. It will also facilitate an even more reliable bus service.
This major scheme, currently the largest of its kind being undertaken by a local authority in the UK, is seen as strategically important for the economic regeneration of the whole of Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Residents and visitors are being kept well informed of the progress made throughout the length of the scheme undertaken by the Council’s contractors Costain Ltd.
Work is ongoing on the A473 tie-in (western end) and surface preparation at Gwern y Moel and earthworks is to commence on the A473 link road and on Gwaun Meisgyn roundabout.
The first small section of new bypass has recently opened at Gwern y Moel. Shortly after entering onto the new road and passing under the new road bridge, traffic is being diverted off and back onto the A473 just east of the railway bridge.
The arrangements are intended to facilitate the final construction of the over-bridge that will provide access for Gwern y Moel and Rhiwbrydwal Farms.
The bridge structure at Rhiwsaeson Lane and a significant drainage culvert at Nant Dowlais are now both complete. Cattle creeps and a major drainage culvert at Nant Myddlin have also been completed.
Work is ongoing on the Ship Inn junction and traffic is moving through the temporary diversion at Heol Dowlais. The Nant Dowlais roundabout construction is ongoing and earthworks has commenced on the north approach to the roundabout.
Station Road widening works are also ongoing and drainage works at Nant Celyn roundabout with significant traffic management continues throughout the year.
Road construction works are also ongoing at Ty Newydd and earthworks are continuing at the pulverised fuel ash cutting near Tonteg. All mine treatment works have now been completed.
Towards the end of this year some of the key milestones will be reached including early landscaping at Nant Celyn and the opening of Rhiwsaeson Lane, Nant Dowlais roundabout and the east section of Nant Celyn roundabout.
In November it is envisaged that the lower Power Station Hill diversion will begin. There will also be significant ongoing drainage and earthworks across site with foundation works for footbridges ongoing and dormouse bridge foundation and steel erection undertaken.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Customer Care Cllr Andrew Morgan said: “Excellent progress is being made on the Church Village Bypass and with a year to go before the projected completion date I’m glad to see everything is right on track.
“The major development of the bypass is becoming more and more visible and residents and visitors alike are beginning to get an idea of how much of a major undertaken this scheme actually is.
“Once completed it will be of a huge benefit for people living in Church Village and its surrounding communities and is seen as strategically important for the whole of the county borough.”
