Council chiefs say highways engineers “worked tirelessly” to complete works on the busy A51 at Wardle near Nantwich which was closed for 16 weeks.
Work to stabilise 750 metres of carriageway began in August and required the complete closure of one of the busiest roads in the borough.
Highways engineers also replaced the drainage system and safety barriers.
The road was re-opened on December 17, much to relief of thousands who use it and those living on surrounding rural roads impacted by traffic diversions.
The route is busy with heavy haulage traffic from Merseyside and North Wales, including the ports of Liverpool and Holyhead.
Mayor of Cheshire East and local ward member, Councillor Sarah Pochin, performed the reopening.
She said: “Huge congratulations to Cheshire East highways for completing such a complex job and on schedule.
“This represents a wonderful Christmas present for residents and businesses and highways should be proud of the work they have done and the way in which they have kept residents and businesses informed throughout the project.”
Cllr Craig Browne, Cheshire East Council deputy leader and chair of the council’s highways and transport committee, said: “This scheme has been vitally important to ensure the long-term safety and stability of the road.
“Our highways team has worked tirelessly to meet the 16-week project schedule and see the road reopened on time.
“This has been a challenging scheme and I also want to thank Cheshire East highways and our engineers for keeping the works on track, working safely and completing such a professional job.”
The project’s environmental mitigation saw 1,676 tonnes of recycled material used and cut ‘virgin’ aggregate use by 942 tonnes.
Speed cameras need to be installed along this road, and the speed limit no more than 40mph, this may stop the haulage companies using this road as they are the ones causing the damage.
Given the location this closure of 16 weeks could have been reduced drastically if the work was done around the clock on a seven day basis. To pat yourselves on the back for the total inconvenience caused is no praise at all.
We here at Wardle, were left without a bus service for 16 weeks, despite myself contacting Arriva (who stated that Cheshire East wouldn’t fund a shuttle bus service for a turn-around route for that period, although Arriva did provide one bus from Crewe in the morning to provide travel for workers to Chester and one in the evening (Chester-Crewe) – which unsuitable to residents). I also contacted Cheshire East about the non-bus service during this period and todate am still awaiting a response to my on line request. Apart from the Engineers providing information on the start date of the works, as a resident, I have not been kept informed. Here in Wardle, we cannot get speed cameras installed, despite this being “a busy A51 route… “with heavy haulage traffic”. Speed restrictions are being dangerously ignored.