Having secured the contract this month, Graham is due to start work imminently on the second stage of a major roads scheme around Didcot, which could cost up to £400m in total across all its different elements.
The latest £74m 'Clifton Hampden bypass' section comprises 2.2km single carriageway to connect the B4015 to the A415 at Culham and bypass the village of Clifton Hampden in Oxfordshire.
Cllr Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy, said: 'The A415 is a busy road that experiences a large amount of through traffic and congestion on the A415 to A4074. It runs right through Clifton Hampden, including past the village primary school. This bypass will completely transform that, moving traffic onto a new road to the north of the village.'
Enabling works, including erection of temporary fencing, tree protection measures, archaeological investigations, site clearance, set-up of main compounds, site offices, welfare facilities and utility diversions are scheduled for completion this Spring.
Graham will then start on the main works immediately afterwards.
Andrew Henry, contracts director at Graham, said: 'We are pleased to have been appointed to deliver this important infrastructure scheme, which will play a key role in improving connectivity in and around Didcot.'
Other elements of the £350m-£400m Housing Infrastructure Fund 1 (HIF1) project include widening the A4130 to create a dual carriageway east of the Milton Interchange, a 'science bridge' across the railway and through the former Didcot A Power Station site and a new Thames crossing, linking the A4130 at Didcot and the A415 at Culham.
The overall HIF 1 project is primarily funded by a £218m government grant from the Housing Infrastructure Fund plus grants from Oxfordshire County Council and Vale of White Horse District Council.
