The M4 will be closed westbound between junctions 19 and 22 from 10pm tonight (Thursday 12th January), re-opening at 6am on Friday morning.
The overnight westbound closure will be repeated between the same times on Friday (13th January).
The Highways Agency says the published closure times represent a worst case scenario and the period of closure could be shorter, dependent on traffic levels.
Westbound traffic will be directed onto the M32, leaving at junction 1 and along the A4174 (Avon Ring Road) and A38 (Gloucester Road) to junction 16 of the M5 (Aztec West). Onward traffic will then travel south to M5 junction 18, take the Avonmouth link roads and join the M49 to travel in a northerly direction to rejoin the M4 at junction 22.
The eastbound carriageway will be fully closed between the same junctions on Saturday night (14th January), when the diversionary route will operate in the reverse direction.
The closures are part of an £88.6m project to create a ‘managed motorway’ scheme around the M4/M5 interchange, in which speed limits are dynamically controlled and traffic is permitted to use the hard shoulder at peak times.
Work on the M4 is expected to be completed by December 2012 with the M5 portion of the scheme scheduled for completion in spring 2013.
More info: Impact on your journey (Highways Agency)
The latest programme of overnight closures has been published on the Highways Agency website.
Closed overnight westbound: Mon 16th Jan through Thu 19th Jan
Closed overnight eastbound: Thu 19th Jan through Mon 23rd Jan