A38 work on £6.4 million bridge replacement scheme at Plympton
Drivers are advised of overnight closures on the A38 at Plympton from Thursday, September 17 as Highways England begins a £6.4 million project to replace Merafield Bridge.
The reconstruction of the bridge will ensure the A38 and Merafield Road will remain open to traffic for many years to come.
Julian Strong, team leader for Highways England in Devon and Cornwall said:
We have planned extensively to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum and consulted very closely with our stakeholders, including Plymouth City Council, the Plymouth and Devon Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.
We understand that significant schemes can raise concerns and that is why we have carried out detailed design work that has allowed us to ensure that three narrow lanes will remain open in both directions for most of the time and access to Merafield Road will be largely unaffected.
Some overnight lane closures in both directions will be required on the A38 at Plympton between 8pm and 6am from Thursday, 17 September until Sunday 27 September while equipment and traffic management is put in place.
Between Sunday 27 September and Saturday 3 October, there will be full closures overnight of the A38 in both directions from 8pm until 6am between the Forder Valley junction and Deep Lane junction.
A fully signed diversion route will be in place that will direct drivers through Plympton.
The old bridge will remain in use while the new bridge is built alongside it.
Works on site will normally be carried out during the day. Occasional overnight work will be necessary when the new bridge sections are lifted into place but the noise levels will be kept to an absolute minimum.
Cyclists will not be able to use the A38 for the duration of the works for their own safety. A dedicated diversion route that will be publicised well in advance of the works and will be fully signed.
Further details of different stages of the work will be publicised during the scheme. Further information can be found on the scheme website
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.