A £105 million upgrade of the last remaining single carriageway section of the A11 to dual carriageway has been completed.
Main construction on the project started in January 2013 and the completed dual carriageway was officially opened today (12 December 2014) by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
The improvement to more than nine miles of the A11 – a key route between the M11 and Norwich – will bring a significant boost to the economy, reduce congestion and improve road safety.
The Highways Agency scheme between the Fiveways roundabout and Thetford has involved widening 5.5 miles of the A11, building a new 3.6 mile bypass around the village of Elveden, and five new structures. In addition a new underpass was constructed, for users without vehicles, near the war memorial – this received funding from Suffolk County Council.
Patrick McLoughlin said: “This major upgrade to the A11 is part of the most ambitious, far-reaching roads programme for decades. It will not only benefit those who use the road every day but create jobs and opportunities, benefiting hard working families across the East of England.
“This government has a long term plan to secure Britain’s future and our £15 billion roads programme is demonstration of that.”
A commemorative plaque was unveiled by the Transport Secretary. After today’s opening the plaque will be mounted near the new underpass at the war memorial.
Graham Dalton, Highways Agency chief executive, added: “The work to dual the A11 has been an enormous task and the project team, including our contractor Balfour Beatty, have worked tirelessly to complete a high quality dual carriageway between Norwich, London and the Midlands.
“The new dual carriageway will benefit road users and local people by improving road safety and reducing journey times by removing the bottlenecks that have caused congestion.”
Stephen Tarr, managing director, Balfour Beatty major projects, said: “The A11 project has been a fantastic example of close collaborative working with our customer, the Highways Agency, and key stakeholders such as Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils. The project has already won plaudits for its sustainable and considerate delivery and for the benefits the scheme will bring the local community and road users.”
