Roadworks on A47 at Necton aiming to improve safety expected to take around five months to complete
Work to improve safety and increase capacity at two busy junctions has begun this week as National Highways redevelops the points where roads meet the A47 near Necton.
The £2.2m project, which was set to start last night, will see the 'mouth' of junctions at Dunham Road and Tuns Road widened to improve visibility.
New road markings and improvements to drainage also form part of the project which will aim to help ease traffic and congestion.
Construction is expected to take around five months with the improved junctions set to fully reopen in March next year.
To minimise disruption, the majority of work will take place on weeknights and between the hours of 8pm - 6am. National Highways has warned that occasionally weekend work will be necessary but said that measures have been taken to ensure disruption to residents will be kept to a minimum.
Alice Grandidge, National Highways' project manager, said: "We understand this scheme will impact local people in the short term, particularly those living close to our work site and compound area.
“To help minimise this we are using hydrogen-powered temporary lighting and solar-powered worker facilities - these will help to reduce noise that would otherwise come from the use of generators.
"We have also installed noise monitors and will use specialist sound barriers to further reduce the impact of our work."
To carry out the work safely, National Highways will need to close the A47 in both directions between the Norwich Road roundabout, Swaffham, and A1075 at Dereham. While the road is closed, westbound traffic will be diverted via A1075, A11, A134, and A1065, before re-joining the A47 westbound at Swaffham. Eastbound traffic will follow the same diversion in reverse.
A full list of closures and dates can be found on the National Highways website.
Addressing the length of the diversion, Ms Grandidge said: "We work closely with Norfolk County Council to agree a diversion route that is appropriate for the level of traffic that would otherwise use the A47.
“While our aim is to always limit the inconvenience of road users, Norfolk is a rural county and we have to find roads suitable and safe for the volume and weight of traffic regularly using the A47."
