A huge makeover of the city’s grid roads continues from this week as part of a long-term programme called ‘Golden Grids’ to improve the look and feel of the network.
Starting with the two main grid roads through the city, sections of both the H5 Portway and H8 Standing Way will receive intensive repairs and maintenance over the next few weeks.
The preliminary site checks were completed last month with vegetation clearance starting on 14 February. The extensive works are being coordinated between the Council’s Highways and Environment teams and will include:
- Removing weeds, cutting back overhanging vegetation
- Repairing, cleaning, and replacing damaged signs
- Removing clutter and litter picking
- Refreshing road markings
- Filling potholes and patching road defects
- Cleaning road gullies
- Tidying up the roundabouts including painting the brick edges
- Fixing streetlights
- Removing graffiti
- Repairing damaged grass verges and reseeding where necessary
- Coppicing or removing trees to keep them healthy
- Replacing missing or damaged bollards
- Sweeping the roads
Councillor Lauren Townsend, Cabinet Member for Public Realm said, ‘I’m delighted that our huge grid road improvement programme is starting this month on two of our busiest roads.’
‘Coordinating all these services into one large programme is a complex task but it means we can get so much more done under one road closure to minimise disruption, saving both time and money.’
‘We’ll carry on each year with other grid roads to give them a major makeover whilst doing ongoing maintenance like weed spraying and sweeping on the others to keep them looking good.’
The ‘Golden Grid’ works will start on the eastern side of the H5 and H8 throughout February and March and will complete in April on the western side.
These works are in addition to other improvements that began earlier in the year, repairing signs and removing overgrown vegetation on roundabouts across the grid road network.
