Castle Street: Phased opening of new underpass starts this weekend

VAST: An aerial view of the scheme under construction in 2024. Picture by Octovision Media

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

The biggest infrastructure project in Hull’s history is close to completion, with a new underpass on the A63 at Castle Street due to begin a phased opening this weekend.

The underpass is scheduled to be fully open by the morning of Monday, March 23, with the wider scheme, which includes the junction between Ferensway, Commercial Road and the A63, set to be completed in its entirety by the end of the month.

National Highways, which is carrying out the £355m project, described the construction of the underpass as “one of the most complex engineering challenges in the UK”.

Senior project manager Frances Oliver said: “We're pleased to be able to confirm that the underpass is on course to be fully open by the morning of Monday, 23 March.

“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."

Work on the project began in March 2020 and was due for completion in spring 2025. But in December 2024 the agency announced it would be delayed by a year after it “encountered some extremely challenging ground conditions near the Humber that could not have been anticipated before the scheme began”.

The scheme has seen the creation of a new split-level junction by lowering the level of the A63 to create an underpass, with Ferensway and Commercial Road crossing the A63. Pedestrian and cycling routes will also be improved, the agency said.

The aim of the project is to ease congestion, reduce queuing and make journey times more reliable.