A video showing the progress made on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon upgrade over the summer months has been released.

The Highways England team has built four abutments to support some new bridges as well as two bridge decks at the side of the carriageway, and they are now ready to wheel the bridges decks, each measuring 44 metres, into place on top of the abutments.

The new bridges, which are being built as part of the £1.5 billion major improvement scheme and will be located at Bar Hill, will be installed during the weekend of September 14-16. They will form a new, improved Bar Hill junction which will connect the A14 to the future local access road between Cambridge and Huntingdon, as well as to the existing local road between Bar Hill and Longstanton (B1050).

David Bray, project director for the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon upgrade at Highways England, said: “Redesigning and building the Bar Hill junction was identified from the start of the project as one of the main challenges we would have to tackle. I am delighted that we’ve found a way to build the two bridges while keeping the A14 open as much as possible and disruption for people locally and road users to a minimum. And I am also excited that we’re using such an innovative solution to our challenge – that’s what makes my job so interesting.”

To carry out the bridge deck installation work safely, the A14 will need to be closed between September 14, at 9pm, and September 17, at 6am.

The Hunts Post: Another view of the A14 Bar Hill junction, with its ongoing redesign work – July 2018.Another view of the A14 Bar Hill junction, with its ongoing redesign work – July 2018. (Image: Archant)

During the closure, clearly signed diversions will be in place as traffic not needing to enter or exit the A14 at Bar Hill will not be able to travel through the junction along the A14 in either direction.

Through traffic travelling eastbound toward Cambridge will be diverted to leave the A14 at Godmanchester (junction 24), follow the diversion via the A1198, and A428. Through traffic travelling westbound toward Huntingdon will follow the same diversion in reverse.

The team will also need to make some temporary changes to the slip road during the closure.

Traffic wishing to travel westbound from Bar Hill will be able to access the A14 towards Huntingdon but it won’t be possible to travel eastbound on the A14 from Bar Hill. Traffic wishing to travel eastbound will be diverted via the westbound A14 to Godmanchester and join the through traffic diversion towards Cambridge.

The Hunts Post: The Bar Hill junction on the A14 in Cambridgeshire, July 2018. The abutments for the two new bridges can be seen just south of the existing bridge and further down on the right of the road, the bridge decks can be seen being built.The Bar Hill junction on the A14 in Cambridgeshire, July 2018. The abutments for the two new bridges can be seen just south of the existing bridge and further down on the right of the road, the bridge decks can be seen being built. (Image: Archant)

The new bridges will ultimately replace the old bridge which will be demolished in 2019.

To help people find out more about this work and the closures, the A14 upgrade team will be available with their Mobile Visitor Centre at Tesco Bar Hill on Monday 3 September, 4pm to 8pm and Thursday 6 September, 4pm to 8pm.

There is no space to safely watch the work taking place, during the weekend but people can find out more about the work and closure details, and watch the work via a live stream online by visiting the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon social media channels and website.

Highways England is upgrading a 21-mile stretch of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon to three lanes in each direction including a brand new 17-mile bypass south of Huntingdon, with four lanes in each direction between Bar Hill and Girton. The project, which includes 34 bridges and main structures, will add additional capacity, boost the local and national economy and cut up to 20 minutes off journeys.

The Hunts Post: An image from the engineering video shows the remote controlled platform transporting the first bridge desk towards the first set of abutments.An image from the engineering video shows the remote controlled platform transporting the first bridge desk towards the first set of abutments. (Image: Archant)

To check the latest traffic information for the A14 and other roads, listen to traffic bulletins on local and national radio stations, visit http://www.trafficengland.com/ and follow Highways England on Twitter via @HighwaysEAST.

For the latest information about the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, visit www.highways.gov.uk/A14C2H follow @A14C2H on Twitter and like the scheme Facebook page at www.facebook.com/A14C2H/.