Birmingham City Council has successfully completed the A38(M) Aston Expressway Tame Valley Viaduct strengthening scheme. The £93.4 million project finished on 6 August 2026, ahead of schedule and within budget.
The work restores the viaduct's full structural capacity, allowing it to carry unrestricted traffic and extending its service life by many decades. Without the strengthening works, significant weight and width restrictions would have been necessary, causing major disruption to motorists, businesses and the regional economy.
Why the work was needed
The 620-metre-long Tame Valley Viaduct opened in 1972 and forms the northern section of the A38(M) between Birmingham City Centre and Junction 6 (Spaghetti Junction) of the M6. The A38(M) carries more than 90,000 vehicles on a typical weekday.
Comprehensive structural assessments identified that the viaduct required major strengthening to ensure its long-term future.
The construction project
Construction began in March 2022 and involved strengthening a complex 21-span viaduct that crosses local roads, businesses, electrified railway lines and the River Tame.
Birmingham City Council maintained traffic on this critical route throughout the works. The scheme was delivered through careful planning, innovative engineering and close collaboration between the council, its consultants and contractors.
The project received national recognition for its engineering excellence, innovation and collaborative delivery.
