A11 scheme enters the final months of construction: overnight closures and underpass opening next key activities
The A11 improvement scheme is in the final months of construction and good progress is being made to upgrade the route between Fiveways and Thetford. Since work started in January 2013 the Highways Agency has substantially completed construction of the new carriageway alongside the existing single carriageway road and constructed a new bypass around Elveden village.
Some key environmental mitigation work needs to be completed in early August, and that will require five full overnight closures of the A11 between Fiveways roundabout and the new B1106 Elveden junction.
These closures will take place from Monday 4 August to Friday 8 August (inclusive), and during this time road workers will install four bat wires over the A11 between Mildenhall Woods and Chalk Hall Farm.
The A11 will be closed in both directions from 10pm to 6am the following morning. There will be a clearly signed diversion via the A1065 and B1107 during the closures. Road users are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys prior to setting out.
Highways Agency project manager, Geoff Chatfield, said:
We are making really good progress on these vital improvements to the A11, and we’re now in the final five months of construction.
We have to close a short section of the A11 overnight, when traffic flows are at their lowest, to allow road workers to install the bat wires. These structures, to allow bats to safely cross the road, are part of our environmental mitigation to reduce the impact of the scheme on local wildlife.
Another big milestone for us will be the opening of the B1112 underpass which is currently forecast in August. This will reconnect this important local road which has been closed since early 2013.
Work on the £102 million A11 Fiveways to Thetford improvement started in January 2013. The widened A11 is due to open to traffic this autumn, with the scheme fully completing December 2014.
For more information about the scheme and to register for regular updates, visit the Highways Agency’s website. Road users can also call the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 or follow @HAtraffic_east on Twitter for the latest travel information.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.