A14 works lasting 16 months near Stowmarket, from Haughley to Tothill, start today
Construction has started on a busy stretch of the A14 today and will last for the next 16 months.
National Highways will be replacing the road surface near Stowmarket between Haughley and Tothill between junction 47a and junction 49.
The construction project has been pushed back by two weeks as the original start date was planned for Tuesday, February 7.
The works are due to finish by summer 2024 and a 50mph contraflow system will be put in place after a series of road closures starting today.
On the National Highways website, it said: “Our repairs will help improve the safety of the road surface, but it will also provide a smoother and quieter journey for road users.
“Rather than repairing the potholes and cracking, the whole carriageway will be reconstructed and re-laid to ensure a smoother and safer ride.
“Once complete, we expect the life of the road surface to be extended by up to 40 more years, with fewer future closures for maintenance repairs, meaning more reliable journeys for road users.”
To set up the contraflow system, the A14 will be closed overnight between junctions 43 and 51 from today to Tuesday, March 28.
The 37 nights of road closures will be put in place from 8pm to 6am each weekday night.
There are as follows:
Monday, February 20 until Friday, February 24 - A14 westbound junctions 51 to 43
Monday, February 27 until Friday, March 3 - A14 eastbound junctions 43 to 51
Monday, March 6 until Wednesday, March 8 - A14 eastbound junctions 43 to 51
Thursday, March 9 and Friday, March 10 - A14 westbound junctions 51 to 43
Monday, March 13 until Friday, March 17 - A14 westbound junctions 51 to 43
Monday, March 20 until Friday, March 24 - A14 westbound junctions 51 to 43
Monday, March 27 - A14 westbound junctions 51 to 43
Tuesday, March 28 - A14 eastbound junctions 43 to 51
There have been six public information events in Bury St Edmunds, Elmswell, Haughley and Stowmarket which offered residents a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns.
Yvonne Tricker, 70, attended one of these events in November after previous roadworks diverted traffic past her house in Haughley New Street.
She said: “We’ve had this issue for years - as soon as they close that junction, the diversions always go straight past our house.
“We never get any peace - last time our road was quiet was during lockdown.
“I’m angry. We have tried and tried to voice our concerns and nothing has happened.”
On Saturday, January 28 at a public event in Stowmarket, resident David Bye said: “I think the event was very informative and I've found out what I wanted to know about night time closures and accessibility getting back into Stowmarket.
"Every week I sing with two barbershop groups - one on the other side of Ipswich and one in Norton.
"Although we won't be affected by the roadworks when we go to the rehearsals, we might be stuck afterwards at around 10pm.”
Further information on the roadworks can be found here.
Have you been affected by the roadworks so far? Send an email to sam.harrison@iliffepublishing.co.uk.
