Improvement work starts at A38 Markeaton roundabout as daytime work ends at Little Eaton roundabout, Derby
Work to improve safety and increase capacity at the A38 Markeaton roundabout in Derby gets underway next week.
Daytime work at the nearby Little Eaton roundabout finishes today (18 July) and the dedicated left turn from the A38 southbound to the A61 will be open from tomorrow.
The Markeaton scheme begins on Monday 21 July and is due to be completed by mid-October. Work will involve widening the approaches and the roundabout as well as updating the traffic signals.
In order to minimise disruption to motorists, the work will take place when there is less traffic on the road; between 9.30am and 3:30pm and between 8pm and 6am.
During this time there will be off-peak lane closures on all approaches and departures of the roundabout, as well as on the roundabout itself. There will also be a 50 mph speed restriction on the carriageway to the junction and a 30 mph restriction within the junction. Diversions for overnight road closures will be in place and clearly signposted.
Kevin Harvey, Project Manager for the scheme, said:
We’re pleased to announce that we have today finished the daytime work on the nearby Little Eaton scheme, which means we can start work immediately on improving the Markeaton junction.
Starting the Markeaton scheme now means the initial stages of the work can be done over the school summer holidays, when traffic volumes are traditionally lower. We are doing the work as quickly as possible to reduce disruption to road users.
By increasing lane capacity, more vehicles will be able to access and exit the roundabout, improving traffic flow and journey times.
In the long-term, this scheme will help reduce congestion, promote growth and improve safety for road users.
After today, there will be no more daytime traffic management at Little Eaton roundabout, which includes opening the dedicated left turn lane from the A38 southbound into the A61. However, the 50mph to 30mph stepped speed limit will remain in place and the Agency will be continuing overnight work at Little Eaton for a further two to three weeks.
The scheme is part of a £317 million pinch point improvement programme designed to boost local economies, reduce congestion and improve safety on the strategic road network in England. The programme is part of the UK Government’s growth initiative, outlined during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in November 2011.
The pinch point programme provides smaller scale improvements that can deliver big returns by easing congestion and making journey times more reliable for road users, including hauliers and commuters to help boost local economies and drive economic growth.
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