The wider £90m refurbishment project is now on target to be the first scheme of its type to be completed on time and within budget in spring 2012.

Completion of the strengthening work has now released all follow on refurbishment jobs like painting, drainage, lighting renewal, cathodic protection, joint replacement and other highway works.

The whole of the structure is now capable of carrying the full HA and 45T of HB traffic loading allowing the historic weight restrictions to be removed.

Andrew Watson,  Highways Agency NW Director said: “This is great news and a huge milestone for the project to achieve.

“Everyone involved in the project should take a great deal of credit in getting this 11 year old problem on the network solved.”

The complex critical strengthening work required world leading box girder design innovation and over one million man hours and 100km of new weld in extreme confined space conditions to strengthen the 3.7km of steel box girder.

Off peak M53 and local road traffic management will continue to be utilised until the end of the contract to facilitate these refurbishment works.