East of England roadworks update: Monday 15 – Sunday 21 February 2010
NEW WORK
A421 BEDFORD SOUTHERN BYPASS DRAINAGE WORK
A scheme to reduce flooding on the Bedford Southern Bypass between Renhold Roundabout and Elstow Roundabout will start on Monday 15 February and will be completed by the end of March. The work will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am on weekday nights only and will involve surveying and cleaning out of the drainage system. There will be some lane closures but the work is not expected to cause disruption.
A428 CROXTON, CAMBS – PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS
Work to provide three new pedestrian crossings on the A428 near Croxton is set to start on Monday 15 February. The crossings will help disabled people use the footpath and will have lowered kerbs and tactile paving slabs. The work will be carried out overnight only between 7pm and 6am and is expected to be completed by 19 February. The westbound carriageway will be closed while the work is being carried out with temporary traffic signals to control traffic flow.
A14 BURY ST EDMUNDS BRIDGE MAINTENANCE
Work to seal the bridge abutments and prevent water damage on the bridge over the A14 at Westley interchange (junction 42) will begin on Monday 15 February. There will be some lane closures on the interchange and advance warning signs on the A14. The work will be carried out overnight on week nights only between 8pm and 6am until completion in mid March.
ONGOING WORK
M1 J10 TO J13 BEDFORDSHIRE – ADVANCE WORKS FOR HARD SHOULDER RUNNING SCHEME
M1 J11-J12 CENTRAL RESERVE SAFETY FENCE WORK
Overnight work to replace safety fence posts along 2.5 miles (4 km) of the M1 central reservation between J11 (Luton) and J12 (Toddington) began on Monday, 1 February.
Short lane closures will be in operation where working is taking place, with lanes 2 and 3 closed northbound and lane 3 closed southbound. All work will be carried out between 10pm and 5am, Monday to Friday, until late February. A temporary 50mph speed restriction will be in place during working hours.
This work is part of the project to upgrade the M1 between J10 – J13.
Overnight lane closures between junctions 10 and 11 started on Saturday 9 January for the installation of traffic management for the work on the forthcoming hard shoulder running scheme between junctions 10 and 13.
Work began in October to clear the vegetation from the embankment of both the southbound and northbound carriageways on the M1 near Luton to allow access to parts of the embankment so that routine maintenance can take place. An ecological survey has been undertaken to ensure that only that vegetation which impacts on the hard shoulder running scheme is removed. The work has been planned to take place outside of the bird nesting season. Some sections of the hard shoulder are being closed to facilitate the work. No other impact on traffic is expected.
Drivers using the stretch of the M1 between junction 10 (Luton) and junction 13 (Bedford) will experience some overnight lane closures on both the northbound and southbound carriageways. The Highways Agency will also be carrying out some essential resurfacing work, in order to reduce the need for further lane closures in the future.
As part of the scheme, the Highways Agency will also upgrade junctions 11 (Dunstable) and 12 (Toddington).
M1 JUNCTIONS 10 TO 10A SPUR LUTON – REPAIRS TO NEWLANDS ROAD BRIDGEWork to renovate the bridge over Newlands Road on the M1 spur near Luton, began in September. The work involves replacing the bridge parapets and carrying out drainage and resurfacing work. While the work is being carried out two lanes will remain open in both directions during peak hours until the work is completed in spring 2010. There will be lane closures during offpeak hours and a 40 mph speed limit will be in force throughout the works. There will also be overnight closures of Newlands Road between Slip End village and the A1081 London Road on occasion during the winter months. Drivers using the M1 spur, particularly those travelling to Luton Airport, should allow extra time for their journeys.
M11 JUNCTION 7 (HARLOW) TO JUNCTION 8 (BISHOPS STORTFORD) EMERGENCY RESURFACING WORK Work to repair the surface of the M11 between junctions 7 and 8, which was due to begin on Monday 8 February for two weeks, has been delayed because of severe weather conditions. Work will now start on Thursday 18 February, weather permitting. The repairs will be carried out overnight on both northbound and southbound carriageways between 10pm and 5am weeknights only and will involve lane closures on both carriageways, one direction at a time with the exception of one night. Two nights of work on the northbound side will require traffic to run on the hardshoulder only. A 50mph speed restriction, with no overtaking, will be in place between junctions 7 and 8. Work to restore traffic counter loops will follow on after carriageway surface repair work. There will be no traffic management in place during peak hours.
M11 JUNCTION 8 - 9 MAJOR MAINTENANCE SCHEME A £10m scheme to improve safety on the M11 between junction 8 (Stansted Airport) and junction 9 started on Monday 9 November. The work involves replacing nearly five miles of concrete carriageway to provide a smoother low-noise surface, which will also reduce surface water spray. The existing central reservation barrier will be replaced and improvements carried out on the safety fencing and to the drainage system. From Monday 9 November work is being carried out on the southbound carriageway only, switching to the northbound carriageway in February. The work is expected to be completed by March 2010. During the day two lanes will be kept open in each direction, with contraflow running and a 50 mph speed restriction in place. Overnight work will take place on week nights between 9pm and 6am, and on Friday and Saturday nights between 9pm and 8am. The carriageway will be reduced to one lane only on some nights. While the work is taking place wide vehicles, those with a width greater than 3m, will not be able to use the M11; there will be a clearly signed diversion route in place via the A120, A10 and A505.
M11 JUNCTIONS 10-11 RESURFACING SCHEME
A £5.4m scheme to resurface the M11 between Duxford (junction 10) and Hauxton (junction 11) began on Monday 18 January. A stretch of the central reservation is also being replaced. Both carriageways of the M11 will be affected with work taking place overnight to minimize delays. There will be full carriageway closures on each working night in one direction only, starting on the northbound carriageway, moving to the southbound carriageway in February. There will be fully signed diversion routes in place. A 50mph speed limit will be in operation while work is taking place overnight, between 8pm and 6am on Monday to Thursday nights, 9pm to 8am on Friday nights, and 7pm to 10am on Saturday nights. The speed restriction will remain in place during the day while the safety barrier is being replaced. The work is due to be completed by early April 2010. There will be a fully signed diversion route in place via the A11, A1304, A1303 and A14.
A1(M) JUNCTION 8, COREY’S MILL, STEVENAGE SAFTEY SCHEME Work to improve safety at the A1(M) Junction 8 in Stevenage began on Monday, 25 January, and involves each approach to the roundabout and also the exits on to the A602 and the A1(M) northbound on-slip road. The scheme includes changing the traffic signals to full-time working, some kerb realignment, resurfacing and improvements to signage and road markings. It is scheduled to be completed by 9 March, subject to weather conditions. Night time road closures took place on 25 January (the A602 Hitchin Road southbound towards Stevenage; 8-11 February (the A1M southbound off-slip); 10-11 February (the A602 westbound towards Hitchin; 12-13 February (the A1(M) northbound off-slip) 13 February (the A602 Hitchin Road southbound towards Stevenage) and 5 March (the A1(M) northbound on slip). Signed diversions will be in place for all closures. Other traffic management arrangements necessary to implement the scheme safely involve lane closures around the circulatory and on several approaches to, and exits from, the roundabout. Some of these lane closures will take place during the day, but not in peak travel hours.
A1 WYBOSTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, LIGHTING REFURBISHMENT SCHEME A £2m scheme to replace street lighting along a 1.6mile stretch of the A1 between the Black Cat Roundabout and the A428 sliproads at Wyboston began on Monday 11 January. The improvements are being carried out overnight only to minimize disruption with lane closures in both directions. Work on the northbound carriageway is being carried out overnight from 8pm to 7am, Monday to Thursday nights; 8pm to 9am overnight on Fridays; 7pm to 10am overnight on Saturdays; and 7pm to 7am overnight on Sundays. On the southbound carriageway, work is take place overnight from 7pm to 6am, Monday to Thursday nights; 8pm to 9am overnight on Fridays; 6pm to 10am overnight on Saturdays; and 9pm to 6am overnight on Sundays. Lane closures and a temporary 50 mph speed restriction are in place overnight on the approaches and will be throughout the length of the work. Although the A1 will remain open at all times, it is necessary to close the A428 slip roads when work is carried out on these. This is being done in one direction at a time, with traffic diverted along the A1 to turn around at the next junction and return back on the opposite carriageway before exiting.
A5 DUNSTABLE HIGH STREET NORTH RESURFACING Work is continuing to resurface Dunstable High Street between Church Street and Brewers Hill/Houghton Road. The work, which started on Monday 1 February, is being carried out overnight on week nights only between 8pm and 6am with one carriageway closed at any given time. A clearly signed diversion route is in place northbound via the A505, Poynters Road and Park Road North to East End roundabout with the southbound diversion in reverse. The work is expected to be completed by the end of March.
A5 DUNSTABLE LIGHTING REFURBISHMENT SCHEME A £2.2m scheme to improve lighting at the junctions on the A5 between Beech Road in Dunstable and the M1 at junction 9 near Flamstead began on Monday 4 January. The work involves replacing and improving the street lighting and will be carried out overnight to minimize delays.
Work affecting both carriageways will be carried out on Monday to Thursday nights between 8pm and 6am, Friday nights between 8pm and 7am, Saturday nights between 8pm and 9am and on Sunday nights between 8pm and 6am. Lane closures and a temporary 40mph speed limit will be in place on the approaches and through the works. Vehicle width restrictions will be in force for vehicles wider than 2.6m with a clearly signed diversion via the M1 to junction 12 and then the A5120 back to the A5 at Houghton Regis. The work is expected to be completed by the end of March 2010.
A12 SOUTHBOUND STRATFORD ST MARY BRIDGE WORK A scheme to construct safe working platforms and access steps beneath the Arley Grange Bridge on the A12 at Stratford St Mary started on Monday 8 February. The work will involve lane closures and a 40mph speed limit on the southbound slip road where Ipswich Road joins the A12 and will be carried out between 7am and 7pm weekdays and Saturdays 7am and 2pm until the work is completed by the end of March. The scheme is being carried out for the purposes of bridge maintenance and inspection and is not expected to cause disruption.
A12 SAFETY BARRIERS UPGRADING NEAR CHELMSFORD, ESSEX Safety barriers on the A12 between Junctions 15 and 17, and at the A12 Langham Birchwood Bridge are being upgraded or replaced because of their age and structural integrity issues. Work is taking place between 9 pm and 6 am each night to avoid traffic disruption. It will last for 19 nights at Junction 15, 27 nights at Junction 17 and nine nights at Birchwood, with the project due for completion by the end of March. It involves the closure of lanes one and two north and southbound at both junctions, and lane two north and southbound at Birchwood. A 50mph speed limit applies.
A12 INGATESTONE, ESSEX – ESSENTIAL BRIDGE MAINTENANCE Maintenance work to the Trueloves Bridge at Junction 13 Ingatestone bypass began on Monday 23 November. The work involves the bridge, which carries the B1002 over the A12, being supported temporarily while concrete repairs are carried out to the bridge piers and bearings replaced. The work will be carried out 24 hours a day, with the southbound carriageway reduced from three lanes to two. A 50mph speed restriction enforced by safety cameras, is in place throughout the duration of the work. At various times, there will only be one lane open in each direction on the A12 between 9pm and 5.30am. In addition, the B1002 over the A12 will be closed overnight on Monday 22nd February, with a clearly signed diversion route in place. The work is due to be completed by the end of March 2010.
A12 HATFIELD PEVEREL TO WITHAM IMPROVEMENT SCHEME A £6.8m scheme to improve safety and tackle congestion on the A12 between Hatfield Peverel and Witham South began on Tuesday 3 November. The work is providing an additional lane southbound between the two junctions, which will assist drivers joining and leaving the A12 at these junctions. In addition the existing carriageways are being resurfaced, additional street lighting and road signs being installed and maintenance work to Woodend Bridge is also being carried out. Two lanes are being maintained in each direction throughout the day, with overnight lane closures between 8pm and 5am on weekdays, extended to 8 am on Saturday and Sunday mornings. A 50mph speed limit is in place. There will also be occasional overnight slip road closures with clearly signed diversion routes. The next phase of the work, which involves contraflow working, is now due to start late in February, and all work is due to be completed by April.
A12 GREAT YARMOUTH – NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT GAPTON HALL Work to install and upgrade the traffic lights and road signs on the roundabout at Gapton Hall and the southern approach from the A12 started on Monday 4 January. Detector loops under the road surface will measure traffic flows on the approaches to the junction prompting the lights to change as necessary. The work is being carried out overnight between 9pm and 6am when traffic flows are at their lightest, Monday to Saturday, until the scheme is complete by the end of March. Diversions will be necessary when the roundabout is closed for resurfacing work, with traffic diverted via clearly signed diversion routes.
The existing traffic signals controlling traffic from the Gapton Hall Road on to the A12 Pasteur roundabout were removed, and replaced by “Give Way” signs and road markings. Lane closures are currently taking place with one lane in each direction being closed to traffic on the A1243 Pasteur Road, with one lane in each direction remaining open. The dedicated slip roads from the A12 on to the A1243 and the A1243 on to the A12 are being closed, along with one lane of the southbound and northbound A12. Drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.
A12 CROSSING UPGRADE, LOWESTOFT
The existing Pelican crossing over the A12 St Peter’s Street, Lowestoft, will be upgraded to a Puffin crossing during February. The crossing is located on the A12 between the Katwijk Way roundabout and Artillery Way.
Work started on Monday, 1 February and will last for around a month. Working hours will generally be 8am to 5pm, with occasional working until 5.30pm.
One lane in both directions of the A12 will remain open throughout the work. However, the A12 eastbound entry slip road from Thurston Road will be closed and a diversion route in place, with motorists directed instead down Crown Street West, to join St Peter’s Street at the junction with Boston Road.
Puffin crossings have several benefits over the older Pelican crossings. Pelicans have a fixed amount of time to allow pedestrians to cross the road, whereas Puffins include technology that senses the presence of pedestrians and allows more time if there are large numbers or slower moving pedestrians. The technology can also respond to traffic conditions and manage the demand between pedestrians and vehicles so that neither is unduly delayed.
A14 RESURFACING AND BRIDGE JOINT REPLACEMENT – ALCONBURY TO FEN DRAYTON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE Major work to replace bridge joints on a viaduct on the A14 in Cambridgeshire and resurface additional stretches of carriageway between Alconbury and Fen Drayton started on Monday 18 January and will continue until early March. The work involves two schemes. The first is a £1.5 million scheme to repair the Huntingdon Railway Viaduct on the A14 between junctions 23 and 24. This will start on Friday 22 January and continue until March with weekend carriageway closures. There will be resurfacing of the eastbound and westbound carriageways over the viaduct, and seven bridge joints will be replaced. An additional 300 metres of carriageway will be resurfaced in both directions on the approaches to the viaduct.
The southbound carriageway will be closed during the weekends of 22-24 January, 29-31 January and 5-7 February from 10pm on Friday nights to 6am on Monday mornings. The northbound carriageway will be closed 26-28 February. 5-7March and 12 – 14 March at the same times. During these closures, drivers will be diverted via the A1 and A428. For the safety of all road users, there will be 50mph speed restriction and a lane closure one mile before junction 23 on the eastbound carriageway and junction 24 on the westbound carriageway. All lay-bys in the affected areas will be closed for the duration of the work. The second scheme has been brought forward by 12 months, as a result of £276,000 of Fiscal Stimulus funding from the Government. This work consists of resurfacing sections of the A14 on the eastbound carriageway between junction 26 for St Ives and junction 27 at Fenstanton (now complete) and, from 26 February, westbound near Fen Drayton and various locations northbound between junction 23 for the Spittals Interchange and Alconbury, The work will be co-ordinated with the closures needed for the Huntington Viaduct scheme, but there will be an additional week of overnight work from Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February between 9pm and 6am. When there are carriageway closures, diversion routes will be in place using the A1 and A428.
A14 BURY ST EDMUNDS BYPASS NOISE MITIGATION A scheme to install noise mitigation fencing on the A14 near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk is due to commence on Tuesday 16 February. A study carried out on behalf of the Highways Agency recommended the provision of noise fencing at several locations adjacent to the A14 to the west of Bury St Edmunds and will mean a reduction in noise pollution for those living close to the A14. The work will be carried out at two locations, on the eastbound and westbound verges of the A14 near St Saviours Interchange, and will comprise a new 3m high reflective noise barrier. On the eastbound carriageway the work will take place overnight only between 8pm and 6am. The work on the westbound carriageway will take place during daytime off peak hours between 9.30am and 3.30pm and overnight between 8pm and 6am. The entry sliproad at junction 43 may also be closed at times with a clearly signed diversion route via the A134, A14 eastbound to junction 44 Moreton Hall interchange and back onto the A14 westbound.
A14 JUNCTION 17 CAMBRIDGESHIRE DRAINAGE WORK Work to reduce the risk of flooding on the A14 at Leighton Bromswold, west of Huntingdon, began on Monday 8 February. The work involves clearing ditches of silt and vegetation along the westbound carriageway from junction 17 to the Chainbridge Lane junction. It will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am Mondays to Fridays and daytimes between 8am and 5pm Mondays to Fridays for approximately four weeks. There will be westbound lane 1 closures throughout the work period.
A14 J36 TO J45, SUFFOLK – A14 CORRIDOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEME A safety scheme to install fibre optic cables providing drivers on the A14 with real-time traffic information via electronic overhead signs, has now reached the second phase, following work in Northamptonshire. Work is being carried out in Suffolk between A14 junction 36 (west of Newmarket) through to junction 45 (Bury St Edmunds) with overnight infrastructure work; laying cables and installing platforms on the verges. The work is being carried out overnight with some lane closures from 10pm until 6am. A temporary 50mph speed limit is in force for the safety of the workforce and road users. The expected completion time for this phase of works is Summer 2010.
A14 SAFETY IMPROVEMENT SCHEME NEAR IPSWICH A £9m scheme to improve safety on the A14 between the Claydon Interchange (junction 52) and the Copdock Interchange (A12/A14 junction) started on Monday 4 January. The work will take place in two phases, with the first phase involving refurbishing the carriageways and improving drainage and safety barriers; the second phase will start in March 2010. The scheme is being coordinated with the Highways Agency’s Corridor Traffic Management Scheme which is installing technology to help keep road users informed of traffic conditions up ahead and is due for completion in summer 2010 (see above). During the first phase of the work there will be overnight lane closures between 7am and 6am, along with contraflow running during weekends. A 50mph speed limit will be in place along the whole stretch of road for the duration of the project, which will be enforced with average speed cameras. The next weekend of contraflow working will be from 6 am on Saturday, 13 February until 6 am on Monday, 15 February. Road users are advised to allow extra time for their journeys during this period. There are also be carriageway and sliproad closures at Sproughton Interchange (junction 54) at weekends between 6pm on Saturdays to 6am on Mondays with clearly signed diversions in place.
A47 PETERBOROUGH – £1.8M BRIDGE REFURBISHMENT SCHEME Major maintenance work to two bridges on the Bretton Interchange on Soke Parkway, Peterborough, started on Sunday 15 November and continues until March 2010. The work involves repairs to the bridge piers, replacement of bridge joints, realignment of safety barriers, and installation of a new drainage system. Lane closures are in place 24 hours a day on the A47 in both directions at junction 16 during the work. A 50mph speed limit is in place. One lane of the Bretton Interchange roundabout remains closed to enable new kerbstones to be laid and drainage cleaned. The A47 northbound and southbound exit slip roads leading to the roundabout will retain one lane open to traffic on their approach. These lane closures will remain in place 24 hours a day. As part of the scheme it will also be necessary to close Bretton Gate (the local road that the bridges carry over the A47) overnight on the 23rd and 24th February; clearly signed diversions will be in place. This work is weather dependent. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
A47 NORWICH TROWSE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME A £500,000 project to improve safety and reduce congestion at the A47/A146 Trowse Interchange near Norwich began on Monday 4 January. The work is being carried out overnight to minimize disruption to traffic and is expected to be completed by the end of March. Traffic signals and their operating system are being upgraded, and new road surfacing laid and road signs and marking renewed as part of the scheme. The work involves closing the A47 east or westbound off-slip roads overnight between 8pm and 6am. During the periods of closure a clearly signed diversion route will be in place. When the eastbound off-slip road is closed traffic is being diverted along the A47 to Postwick Interchange. Diverted traffic is then following a signed diversion to join the A47 westbound carriageway and then the A47 to Trowse Interchange to access the A146. When the westbound off-slip road is closed, westbound traffic is being diverted along the A47 to the A140 Ipswich Road Interchange, then following diversion signs to rejoin the A47 eastbound carriageway. Diverted traffic is then following the A47 Trowse Interchange to access the A146. Works are also being undertaken on the A146 using localized lane closures as part of this scheme.
A120 MARKS TEY – RESURFACING WORK
A scheme to improve safety on a 1.6km section of the A120 at Marks Tey resumed on Thursday, 21 January and will be completed as soon as the weather permits. It is being carried out nightly between 8 pm and 6 am and involves both the west and eastbound carriageways. Traffic management and a 40mph speed limit with no overtaking allowed will be in place in both directions. Temporary traffic lights will be in place and traffic convoyed through the works. When only exit / entry closure at the junction of the A120 / Great Tey Road is in operation, local access will be via Salmons Lane, E Gores Road, Coggeshall Road, The Street and Brook Road to Great Tey Road (Loop 1). When only exit / entry closure at the junction of the A120 / Salmons Lane is in place local access to or from the east will be the reversed, or alternatively to or from the west will be via Tey Road, Buckleys Lane, E Gores Road to Salmons Lane (Loop 2). When only exit / entry closures at both the A120 / Great Tey Road and Elm Lane are in place, local access to Salmons Lane will be via Loop 1 and local access to Elm Lane will be via Old Road and Little Tey Road. A clearly signed diversion route for heavy goods using the A120 will be in operation during the works.
A421 (BEDFORD)-M1 J13
Major construction work to build the new eight mile dual carriageway on the northwest side of the existing A421 between M1 J13 and the Bedford Southern Bypass continues. Motorists are being warned to expect some disruption to their journeys until the improvements are completed in December 2010.
There is no right turn into or out of the Bedford Road (C280) at Marston Moretaine. The southern end of Lower Shelton Road is currently closed to traffic joining or leaving the A421 with a clearly signed diversion route in place.
M1 J13 Bridge Construction: Overnight slip road closures are currently in place to allow for the construction of a new bridge over the M1 and a new roundabout on the A421 at junction 13. Closure times as follows:
9pm – 5am, Monday –Thursday; 11pm – 7 am, Friday; 9pm – 9am, Saturday;
10pm – 5am, Sunday.
These overnight slip road closures will be in place until the scheme is completed in December 2010, although no more than two slip roads will be closed on any one night. Advance warning signs will be displayed warning drivers of planned closures and diversion routes will be clearly signposted. A temporary 50mph speed restriction will be in place on the M1. Lane closures will be in operation but generally three lanes will be in use as the hard shoulder is being used as an additional lane. Approximately 1.25 miles (2km) of the M1 either side of J13 will be affected and these restrictions will apply 24 hours a day until the scheme is completed.
Partial closure of A421/B530 Roundabout (known locally as the Interchange Retail Park roundabout): Partially closed with no right turns to or from the westbound carriageway of the A421, the junction will be fully closed in March 2010. Diversion routes will be clearly signed.
Work to upgrade the A6 roundabouts is complete. The traffic signals at Progress Park, Elstow Junction and Cowbridge Junction are now in operation. The signals at all three junctions will continue to be monitored and adjusted to ensure smooth running of the junctions which may take some time. Drivers, particularly HGV drivers, are asked to be aware of the changes and to take extra care.
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