Major road schemes in Sleaford and Lincoln to get back on track in May

The planned upgrade of the A17/A153 Sleaford Rugby Club Junction was due to start in April but was postponed after the outbreak. The project is now said to begin on the week of may 25.

Improvements to the A46 Riseholme roundabout at Lincoln will also resume from May 4.

Coun Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “Despite the unprecedented situation we’re currently in, we can now safely carry on with improving these two key junctions in Lincoln and Sleaford.

“Since suspending works at Riseholme Roundabout and postponing the start of our Sleaford Rugby Club junction improvement due to uncertainty caused around the coronavirus pandemic, the contractors for both schemes have now identified systems of work to keep crew members at a safe working distance from each other.

“This means they can safely carry out both projects while adhering to national guidance.

“In Sleaford, the team will begin setting up at the site compound during the week of May 11 ahead of breaking ground two weeks later.”

Traffic management details for the Sleaford scheme will see a combination of lane closures, temporary traffic signals and night-time road closures on the A153 and the A17 rugby club junction slip road.

In addition, throughout the entire project the A17 ‘exit’ slip lane will be closed with a diversion via the Kirkby la Thorpe exit with drivers doubling back onto the A17 to access the A153 and Sleaford via the westbound slip lane opposite the Agra restaurant and Kiowa.

Right-turning will be prevented from the A153 onto the A17 at the rugby club, with traffic diverted to the enterprise park roundabout and back along the A153 to turn left to join the A17.

Coun Davies added: “The Lincoln Eastern Bypass and second phase of the Grantham Southern Relief Road are also continuing to progress, and we’re still expecting to start building the Spalding Western Relief Road and a new roundabout at the A46/Lincoln Road junction near Welton later this year.

“It’s really all systems go in terms of our major road projects across the county.

“There will inevitably be some disruption during all of these improvements, but I want people to rest assured that we’ll be doing everything we can to keep this to a minimum.

“It’s also important to remember that once each of these schemes is built, there will be less congestion, increased safety and improved journey times throughout Lincolnshire for years to come – making any short-term disruption worth it in the end.”

The £8.25m Sleaford Rugby Club junction improvement scheme is being funded by the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, North Kesteven District Council, Lincolnshire County Council and developer contributions. It will be followed by another project to upgrade the Holdingham roundabout further along the A17 Sleaford bypass to add extra filter lanes at the junctions and traffic lights.

The A46 Riseholme roundabout improvement project will cost £4.2m and will be funded via £2.4m from Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and £1.8m from an Integrated Transport Grant.