Major improvements set to start as £20m ‘levelling up’ fund will see benefits for the A16 between Boston and Spalding.
The county council’s plan to help traffic flow more freely on the A16 in south Lincolnshire starts in April, with major improvements carried out in Boston.
The first two schemes to get underway will see work start on Marsh Lane roundabout and the construction of better, safer routes for walking and cycling around Boston.
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “This work is funded by £20m in ‘levelling up’ funding awarded to us from the government in October 2021. We have developed five projects, all aiming to reduce congestion along the A16 corridor between Boston and Spalding.
"These transport routes are key for our food and agricultural businesses, but also important for local people travelling between Boston and Spalding.”
Work on Marsh Lane roundabout is expected to take five months to complete and includes the creation of an additional northbound lane to unlock space for a dedicated right-turn lane for people travelling north from the A16 into Marsh Lane.
The project will also create a dedicated left-turn lane for those travelling south from Marsh Lane onto the A16.
The Boston ‘Active Travel’ improvements, expected to take seven months to complete, comprise of creating a three-quarter mile route that will include:
- Building a new shared footway/cycleway along London Road, A16 and Marsh Lane, including the introduction of new toucan crossings on the A16 and Marsh Lane which allow both pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road under lights
- Updating the layout on Wyberton Low Road (north of the crossroads with Marsh Lane) to reduce conflicts between cycle users and HGVs on Marsh Lane
- Building a new shared footway/cycleway on the eastern side of Marsh Lane
- Adding a new shared footway/cycleway on the northern end of Wyberton Low Road to the primary school
Once these two sets of works are finished, efforts will then move on to improving Spalding’s A16/A151 Springfield Roundabout and A16/B1180 Greencell Roundabout, as well as active travel in Spalding.
Cllr Davies continued: “When complete, these first two ‘levelling up’ projects will reduce congestion at the Marsh Lane roundabout, while also making it easier for people to walk and cycle in and around Boston by addressing the conflict between cycle users and HGVs on Marsh Lane through the Riverside Industrial Estate.
“With improved walking and cycling facilities and reduced traffic congestion, our ‘levelling up’ projects complement other local transport and renewal projects that are either underway or planned.
“These are long-term projects that will also help future-proof the A16 so it can be widened to incorporate a dual carriageway if suitable funding is available at a later date.
“A large number of the county’s businesses rely on the A16 to support their operations, especially our food and horticultural sectors, so ongoing investment in improved transport infrastructure is a priority for Greater Lincolnshire.”
The A16/A151 Springfield Roundabout improvements are expected to begin during this autumn, with construction of the A16/B1180 Greencell Roundabout improvements expected to start during the summer of 2024.
For more information about these and other major road projects in Lincolnshire, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/majorprojects.