A133 Ipswich Road Harwich Road improvement works to move to next major phase

Major project works to improve the A133 and Ipswich Road/Harwich Road roundabouts through Colchester are successfully approaching the next major phase.

From 24 June Ipswich Road (south) will be closed for 4 weeks to enable Anglian Water to complete their water main diversion and re-connection. This involves trenching approximately 12 meters across Ipswich Road.

As soon as that is finished, both BT works and the major works moving and re-building of the retaining wall along the rail line can start.

The road improvements involve carriageway widening and making single instead of multi-roundabouts. To do this at the Ipswich Road junction, the retaining wall supporting the road above the railway line must be moved back and strengthened.

A major piling and wall-building operation will be carried out, requiring Ipswich Road (south) to be closed throughout from 20^th July. The total duration for these combined road closures is anticipated to be around 5 months

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The moved and strengthened retaining wall is an essential part of the whole improvement scheme.

“This in itself is a significant operation and will require the construction of a continuous new piled retaining wall behind the existing wall below the surface of the Ipswich Road roundabout.  I recognise that a prolonged closure will contribute to some delays for drivers, but I am working closely with the engineers to see how quickly, as the piling work progresses, we may be able to open the road at least in one direction providing drivers don’t abuse the one-way system.

“As the piling work and the concrete wall building progresses (allowing time for the concrete to set), we will follow behind building the new kerbs, pavements and road surface, as well as new street lighting and barriers. I hope drivers will recognise the very long-term improvements being made here, and adjust as they can to the short-term pain involved to get there.”

Regular updates on scheme progress and changing traffic management arrangements are posted on the Essex County Council Highways web pages and on the Essex Highways Twitter account and you can see details of the permitted forthcoming works and diversions here.

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