Representatives from Highways England have been talking to local road users and communities about upcoming road maintenance and minor improvement works in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.
The government-owned company has already made an order which will enable a variety of works to be conducted on the A47 trunk road stretching from Norwich to Lowestoft.
Starting on or after Monday, September 1, the works are to be carried out in phases and would predominantly take place overnight (8pm-6am). They are expected to last for approximately five months.
Amongst the various tasks being undertaken will be bridge works, resurfacing, routine maintenance and technology works.
The 'Better Journeys on Better Roads' roadshow on Friday (August 18) was held in order to help Highways England plan the works so as to minimise disruption to local residents and businesses.
The planned works include the following diversions:
Lowestoft
• Works to the Bascule Bridge are set to effect local traffic in Lowestoft and the surrounding areas. Motorists are to be diverted off the A12 Tom Crisp Way then via the B1531 Waveney Drive and Victoria Road, then A1117 Bridge Road; the diversion continues across Oulton Broad Bridge onto the A1144 Normanston Drive and St Peter's Street to join the A47 at Jubilee Way roundabout. The same route applies vice versa for traffic travelling southwards.
• Works between St Peter's Street and Jubilee Way roundabout will divert northbound motorists from Station Square via the A47 Waveney Road, Battery Green Road, Old Nelson Street and Artillery Way - vice versa for southbound. Traffic wishing to join the A1144 is to be diverted via Station Square, Denmark Road and Peto Way to join the A1144 at the Normanston Drive roundabout, and vice versa.
Great Yarmouth
• Works between Harfreys roundabout and Vauxhall roundabout will see northbound traffic diverted via William Adams Way, Southtown Road, A1243 Bridge Road, B1141 North Quay and A149 Acle Road to re-join the A47 at Vauxhall roundabout. Southbound traffic will divert via A149 Acle New Road, B1141 Fuller's Hill, Priory Plain, Temple Road, Alexandra Road, Yarmouth Way then A1243 South Quay, Hall Quay, Bridge Road, Southtown Road and William Adams Way to rejoin the A47 at Harfreys roundabout.
• In addition, due to works between the Acle roundabout and Vauxhall roundabout, eastbound traffic is to leave the A47 at Acle roundabout, then go via the A1064 and A149 before following the diversion route for Harfreys roundabout to Vauxhall roundabout as described above. The same diversion applies vice versa for westbound traffic.
Works are also set to take place near to James Paget Hospital in Gorleston at the four-way junction where the A47 Lowestoft Road meets Bridge Road.
The purpose of the works is to prove the validity of traffic signal ducting at the signalised junction ahead of improvement works.
Local lane narrowing will be required to enable access to the chambers in the central carriageway, resulting in the closure of the central lane between 9.30am and 3.30pm from August 24 to 26.
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