National Highways will start work on a series of enhancements along the A38 in Devon next month. The company is investing more than £10 million in the coming months to:
- Refurbish the deteriorating Whitecleave and Mardle viaducts (pictured) near Buckfastleigh;
- Improve drainage systems and enhance safety between Ivybridge and Lee Mill;
- Enhance safety with clearance of trees with ash dieback and others posing a safety risk along the route;
- Enhance the eastbound road surface between the Peartree interchange and Goodstone junction.
The investment, alongside a scheme to enhance electronic signage on overhead gantries at Kennford, will maintain the safety, resilience and reliability of this busy Devon route for many years to come.
Carrying up to 24,000 vehicles daily in each direction, the A38 is a vital route for the Devon economy and it is essential that the structures, carriageway and verges are maintained to carry the volumes of traffic safely.
The first project, to replace expansion joints and improve drainage on the Whitecleave and Mardle viaducts will start in September and is anticipated to complete by the end of January.
The bridge joints are devices designed to accommodate thermal expansion, contraction and traffic loads within a structure and following a number of recent repairs, National Highways is carrying out a full refurbishment and replacement scheme to improve the long-term reliability of the viaducts and prevent future maintenance closures.
Repairs to each structure will be carried out in phases and to enable the work along this section, the A38 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction with enforceable 40mph speed limits in place for the safety of the workforce and travelling public, and to maintain reliable traffic flows.
Full overnight closures will also be in place, weeknights only from 8pm to 6am, from 2 September to 24 October, with some additional night closures in November and December, and from 4 January to 25 January, with diversions in place via the A384 and A385.
Route Manager Ed Halford said:
“Many of the structures we manage were built over half a century ago and now need renewing or replacing to ensure they remain fit and safe for purpose. It’s essential that we futureproof the viaducts now, to ensure their reliability and to limit the need for future maintenance work, and along with the other works, and further renewal plans for the A38, this represents a significant investment in this busy route.
“We appreciate roadworks can impact on people’s journeys, and we’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption, by keeping lanes running in each direction while work takes place during the day and by working overnight when traffic levels are at their lowest.
(Picture: National Highways)
