A section of the A303 in Somerset will be fully closed this weekend, as a temporary bridge that was built as part of the £135m Sparkford to Ilchester scheme is removed.
National Highways said the removal of the bridge at Steart Hill marks the end of the first major stage of construction on the scheme.
The bridge was used to reduce the impact of construction on motorists and residents, with 900,000 tonnes of earth moved across it in 30 weeks.
During the works to remove it, the A303 – a major route to south west England – will be closed between the Hazlegrove and Podimore roundabouts from 10pm on Friday (11 November) to 5am on Monday. Diversions will be in place via the A359 and the A37.
Senior project manager Elliot Hayes said: ‘The removal of the temporary bridge marks a significant milestone for this major scheme, which is incredibly important for Somerset’s future and vital to the A303/A358 corridor.
‘It’s exciting to see how work has progressed, with the major earthworks now completed with minimal disruption.
‘You can now really start to see the scheme take shape and we are excited to continue pressing ahead to finalise this vital route.’
National Highways is working with delivery partner Galliford Try to construct the scheme.
Chris Hill, project director for Galliford Try, said: ‘We have made great progress on the scheme since starting a year ago - reaching the milestone of removing the bridge signifies this.
‘Having this link between the two sides of the scheme was vital in moving the earth quickly and efficiently, without causing major disruption to the traffic on the A303.’
National Highways said the scheme will promote economic growth in the area, tackle a long-standing bottleneck, reduce journey times to the South West and improve traffic flows in the area at peak times and during peak seasons.
