The Pathfinder Link Road has been built as part of the £1.5 billion upgrade of the A14 and connects the old A14 to the ring road near the bus station at Mill Common.

The Pathfinder Link Road has been built as part of the £1.5 billion upgrade of the A14 and connects the old A14 to the ring road near the bus station at Mill Common.

It will enable traffic travelling from the east to access the town centre from the A1307, the former A14, and, once the viaduct near the railway station has been removed in 2022, there will be access from the west.

Cllr Ian Bates, chairman of Cambridgeshire County Council’s the Highways and Transport Committee, said: “Since the new A14 bypass opened at the end of last year, Highways England have been working hard in and around Huntingdon to benefit Huntingdon and its residents.

“I’m pleased the new Pathfinder Link Road is now complete, it is the first new road as part of the work in Huntingdon to open.”

Cllr Bates added: “There is still work to be done on the other new roads and the removal of the old A14 viaduct, but it’s great news for Huntingdon and even better it’s in time for when the schools go back after half term.”

The opening of the new link will enable traffic to avoid the heavily-congested medieval bridge between Huntingdon and Godmanchester.

People living in the Mill Common area have been warned about the closure of the former Castle Moat Road junction and its replacement with the Pathfinder Link.

The 148-metre long link used 2,000 tonnes of asphalt in its construction, around a mile of kerbs, four new pedestrian crossings and 30 new street lights.

Chris Bayliss, who has been directing the work at Huntingdon, said: “The A14 upgrade is delivering massive benefits for the UK, including reducing journey times by 20 minutes with 12 miles of new, three-lane dual carriageway, but it is also delivering benefits on a smaller scale, for local communities.

“The opening of the new Pathfinder Way link road into Huntingdon shows that the project understands the impact on those living in and around the upgrade, and is providing for their needs. While we’re meeting the needs of A14 road users and freight, we’re also ensuring connectivity to local towns and villages.”

Work on the long-awaited upgrade for the A14 started in 2016 and the bulk is now complete, although teams are still involved in demolishing the viaduct over Huntingdon railway station and other associated construction in the area.