Emergency repairs are being carried out on the A57 (M) Mancunian Way this afternoon after heavy rain caused a 30ft sinkhole to appear in the road.
The hole is thought to extend some 40ft deep. It’s feared repairs could take several days and the road could remain closed for weeks.
By 10.30am on Friday 14 August the road was been shut between the A635 Mancunian Way and the A56 Chester roundabout.
It reopened at around 2pm but shut again shortly after.
Pictured: A57 Mancunian Way closed: Major flooding causing traffic chaos
Manchester City Council say a culvert underneath the Mancunian Way broke under heavy flooding, causing the huge chasm to appear.
Knock-on delays are expected throughout rush hour this evening on routes heading towards Salford, including Regent Road and the M602 in both directions towards Manchester and Liverpool.
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “Motorists should be aware that part of the Mancunian Way is currently closed in both directions due to a collapse in the road caused by the extremely wet weather.
“The section affected is between the Macdonald Hotel near Piccadilly Station and Fairfield Street.
“It is thought a culvert beneath the Mancunian Way has been eroded by the heavy rain fall, which has cause the road above to be impacted.
“City council and united utilities officers are currently at the scene to assess the situation. Depending on the extent of the issue the road may remain closed over the weekend.
“Traffic will be diverted via London Road, Fairfield Street, A665, Hyde Road and Downing Street.”
Main image by @alexghibbert/MEN
