‘Relief’ as A63 Castle Street upgrade completed
CHANGE: An image of the new road layout. Picture credit: National Highways
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
The £355m upgrade of the A63 at Castle Street was completed today, with an MP describing the moment as “a real relief to local residents”.
Completion of the six-year National Highways project, which includes a new underpass on Hull’s busiest road, will improve journey times, ease congestion and boost economic growth, it is hoped.
Welcoming the work’s conclusion after its opening was delayed by a year, Hull West and Haltemprice MP Emma Hardy said: “The completion of this project will come as a real relief to local residents and it’s great to see it finally opening.
“People have put up with a lot of disruption for a long time, but I hope that as journeys become quicker and more reliable, they’ll feel that the wait has been worth it.”
‘BETTER JOURNEY TIMES’: Motorists using the new underpass. Picture credit: National Highways
National Highways said it marked an “exciting new era” for road travel in the city.
Senior project manager Frances Oliver said: “This eagerly anticipated new road layout will increase connectivity between the centre of the city and the port and other leisure activities, boosting the local economy and tourism.
“Construction of the A63 underpass has been one of the most complex engineering challenges in the UK. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we’ve worked to get to this significant milestone, and we know how excited everyone is to have this section open.
“Technical design played a key role in overcoming the extremely challenging ground conditions near the Humber.”
WAY TO GO: The underpass under construction in June 2024. Picture credit: Octovision Media
Following the opening of the underpass at the weekend, engineers completed the connections of the entry and exit slip roads and Commercial Road to Ferensway, ready for the full opening this morning.
National Highways is advising road users to follow updated road signs, stay in lane, and take extra care as the road layout has changed. The change to the road layout will allow the two eastbound lanes and the two westbound lanes to run either side of the new underpass.
A new junction has been created by lowering the level of the A63 at the Mytongate junction. Ferensway and Commercial Road cross the A63, creating a split-level junction. Between Princes Dock Street and Market Place the eastbound carriageway has been widened to three lanes.
This will create better journey times and safer connections between the city centre and the retail and docks area, the agency said.
The scheme has also unlocked funds for the local area with more than £103,000 charitable donations made through National Highways’ Community Legacy Fund and contractor Balfour Beatty.