Balfour Beatty, alongside its design partner Atkins, has announced the completion of National Highways’ A19 major upgrade project, four months ahead of schedule.
Around £65 million has been invested into the construction of 198,770 square metres of new road between Norton and Wynyard junctions, increasing capacity from two to three lanes, reducing traffic noise in the process.
Originally scheduled for completion in Spring 2022, the new dual carriageway will ensure quicker and more reliable travel for road-users in the North East of England, whilst also supporting wider economic regeneration through the creation of numerous employment opportunities in the Tees Valley region.
As part of Balfour Beatty’s commitment to leaving a lasting, positive legacy in the communities in which it operates, over 60% of the project’s overall workforce was local to the scheme. In addition, Balfour Beatty hosted an event at Holme House Prison to provide a group of select learners with construction career training and interview guidance, further building on the numerous community initiatives held in Teesside since March 2020.
Phil Clifton, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Highways business, said: “We are delighted to announce the completion of the long-awaited A19 dual carriageway, which will transform travel in the North-East through increased capacity and reduced journey times.
“Through leveraging our expert capabilities and by maximizing our social value outputs, we have provided communities across the Tees Valley region with a legacy – one which will continue to thrive for years to come.”
National Highways Chief Executive Nick Harris said: “We pride ourselves on managing and improving England’s motorways and major A roads to make journeys safer, smoother and more reliable, as we deliver the Government’s strategic roads investment programme.
“I’m delighted to see the completion of the A19 Norton to Wynyard work earlier than planned so drivers can experience the benefits. The A19 is an extremely important route and these improvements will provide better, safer journeys and connections for our road users.”
