Residents are being advised of new traffic arrangements that will come into force in January for the next phase of the major improvement works to the St Marys junction in Newport.
A substantial amount of work has already been progressed since the scheme started at the end of September, including the removal of the main roundabout which will make way for a signalised junction.
Work to enable lane widening on Forest Road and facilitate the installation of high voltage cabling, BT and WightFibre ducts, lane widening work at the B&Q roundabout and Dodnor Lane and works to Medina Way have also been progressing well.
The current phase of work is on schedule for completion by 20th December 2019, when work will then pause for the Christmas and New Year period when all lanes will be re-opened to traffic and the roundabout marked out with cones.
The next phase of work, which is due to start in January 2020 and continue up to the Isle of Wight Festival in early June, will see new traffic arrangements in place. During this phase, to allow works to continue safely, a contraflow system — taking the traffic onto the opposite side of the carriageway — will be in place for traffic travelling on Medina Way, north of St Mary’s roundabout.
From early January to late March, the contraflow will be in place for southbound traffic heading towards Newport. It will then switch to a contraflow for northbound traffic (Cowes-bound).
Signage will be in place to clearly direct vehicles, including those exiting from the hospital site onto Medina Way, which will exit via a feeder lane in a similar way to the current arrangements.
Colin Rowland, director of neighbourhoods for the Isle of Wight Council, said:
“We recognise that each phase of these works brings a different set of challenges for motorists to negotiate and that there could be delays, particularly at peak times, as people adjust to the new arrangements.
“We hope that the maps and information that we are publishing in advance will help people to plan their journeys and we remain grateful for everyone’s continued patience as we progress this important junction improvement scheme.”
Residents and businesses in the vicinity of the scheme will once again receive letters advising them on the arrangements for this next phase of the work.
The new arrangements will continue up to the Isle of Wight Festival when works will once again pause for the period of the festival. Specific traffic management arrangements for the festival period will be published in advance of the event as usual.
Bring in mainland company to do work it would all be finished by now to much tea being drank
What like the floating bridge.? Crown park very efficient firm employing loacal people:
Mainland companies like island roads, what a joke , there work last,s a couple of months then the surfaces need doing again
A complete and utter waste of money. Should have just enlarged the roundabout so that Hunnyhill had its own exit onto the roundabout rather than Forest Road. Simples.
Why didn’t they just put traffic lights on the existing roundabout and build the bus lane for hunnyhill if they wanted changes? Then when it proved to be a total disaster, the lights could have been removed. This way, millions of pounds wasted. Too much corruption in county hall going on here. Brown envelopes full of cash exchanging hands. Meanwhile, road users paying the price.
I watched the other day an ambulance on blues & twos make their way out of St’Marys fight their way through traffic to head back towards Cowes it lost 2/3 minutes why hasn’t any of these very clever (NOT) people thought to open up the carriageway for emergency vehicles Only to exit at the hospital and turn right Saving precious time?!
When this debacle ends with only more congestion. Will the councillors in charge be held accountable. Or just retire on a nice fat pension.
This kind of thing happens all the time on the mainland, I know improvements to roads shock the IoW but its going to be ok people it’s going to be ok, deep breaths now, there there
(Moaning F*****s)
You see some silly stuff on these comments.
I think crown park are doing a great job. It’s no good anyone having a pop at the contractor, they are just doing the work, it’s the council, highways and the Island MP that people should be contacting with thier concerns.
It’s far too late to be talking to anyone about ‘concerns’,.. it’s already happening,…
& no point in talking the Island’s MP about anything thing the council decide on, he’s of the same ‘conviction’ as the council members who voted for this farce.
“Major improvement” Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha….. that remains to be seen!
If you think the congestion and queues are bad now. You wait till the traffic signalling gets put into place. The queues are going to be worse. They think there saving the planet and making it easier. NO. More carbon footprint as it’s going to be stop start stop start braking stop start more wear and tear on our vehicles. Thanks councillors and island highways. More expenses to the public so there vehicles can be on the road.
Unfortunately we (the local Taxpayers) have been unable to do anything to halt this looming debacle. I agree, contractors should be working ‘round the clock’, get it done, and get it done quickly.
However, ‘if’ it turns out not to be the glorious solution to traffic problems, no-one will answer for it.
Councillors will (conveniently) forget they disregarded any Public Opinion, chances are people in County Hall will change (hopefully), then, like the floating bridge, it will be “the others did it”, and the very best that can be hoped fore is that the outside consultants will be blamed…
The main problem is there are to many cars , that’s the problem, so stop building more housing for lazy people to move over to the island to claim benifits and do nothing , next switch the lights off at coppins bridge and then the traffic will not get held up at St,Mary’s ,
Can we expected to see more than 2 people working at a time on this next phase?