Major landmark in construction of new road link for Plymouth
The construction has been described as the biggest in Plymouth since the Second World War
A major landmark has been reached in the creation of the Forder Valley Link Road in Plymouth with the first new road surface being laid.
It is on a new section of Novorossiysk Road, which is due to open to traffic in March while work continues on the £49million new 1kilometre route, which includes a new bridge.
Traffic will be directed over a temporary surface onto the new road until the western section of Forder Valley Road reopens. The stretch of Forder Valley Road between Novorossiysk Road and Fort Austin Avenue was closed in September 2020 for 17 months, but the uphill section is due to open six months earlier.
The first concrete beams to form a new bridge over the Bircham Valley have arrived in the city, with plans agreed to store most of them on the runway of the closed Plymouth Airport.
The construction has been described as the biggest in Plymouth since the Second World War. It will create a new 1kilometre route between William Prance Road in Derriford and the junction of Forder Valley Road and Novorossiysk Road.
The new route between the A38 and Derriford is designed to improve journey times to the north of the city where 4,300 homes are planned in a new district, along with space for new businesses.
An enlarged junction will connect the bridge section to Forder Valley Road and Novorossiysk Road, designed to increase capacity and improve traffic flow.
Novorossiysk Road is being widened to remove the merge south of the Miller Way (Asda) junction, which will improve journeys times to and from the north-east of the city including the Estover industrial estate and business parks.
The scheme will have new walking and cycling routes, including an on-road cycle lane northbound on the uphill of the new link road, as well as a shared off-road facility for cyclists travelling at different speeds.
Segregated facilities will also be provided on the southbound section to separate pedestrians and faster-moving downhill cyclists.
The new road will ease traffic on the A386 Tavistock Road and Manadon Roundabout and offer an alternative route to the north of the city and key destinations such as Derriford Hospital, the University of St Mark and St John and the Plymouth Science Park. The city council says the new link will also improve bus reliability and offer new and improved pedestrian and cycle facilities.
The Forder Valley Link Road is one of a series of major transport improvements for the city. The Forder Valley roundabout is to be upgraded to improve traffic flow and access for pedestrians and cyclists, improvements are planned at Derriford and the A386 is due to be widened between Woolwell and The George.