Worried Highways engineers are mounting an hourly watch on part of Birmingham's iconic Spaghetti Junction which they admit is crumbling.
The problem on the ‘underbelly’ is so serious that it is being constantly monitored by Highways Agency engineers on hydraulic platforms, it has emerged.
The full scale of the sudden road closures came to light from a source on site who revealed there is "real worry" about the slip road onto the Aston Expressway from the M6 northbound carriageway. The Highways Agency yesterday emphasised there is no risk to motorists, but admitted salt is attacking the underside of an elevated section of the road, which sits on huge pillars above the now closed Tyburn Road entrance to the Expressway.
Contractors have been at the site day and night since the extended closure began last week, frantically building structures to prop up the underbelly. Once built, they will also allow the Agency to lift the road closures and it will allow them to chip away at the crumbling concrete before it can be replaced.
A source close to the workers, who did not want to be named, claimed that the latest problems were found four weeks ago. He said: "This is causing a lot of concern and they are having to monitor the situation every hour, on the hour, 24 hours a day.
"They are going up on cherry picker equipment (hydraulic lift platforms) from the closed lane of the A38 Tyburn Road underneath with engineers to check that more of it is not crumbling away."
The link from Tyburn Road to the Aston Expressway will be closed until at least December 3. The A 5127 from Erdington to the A38(M) Aston Expressway will be restricted to a 30mph speed limit but will be closed Saturday.
The link from M6 Northbound to the Expressway is expected to have two overnight closures.
