The Council says it is on target to complete the new A431 Kelston Road during November, ahead of schedule, permanently ending disruption for local motorists.
Councillor Paul Crossley (Lib-Dem, Southdown), Leader of Council, said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council’s priority has always been to achieve a permanent solution so that we don’t have problems with road slippage in the future.
“I’m very pleased that we will soon be able to re-open the road – we promised local people that we would achieve this before Christmas, and we look set to achieve this ahead of schedule.”
Before the road opens, the Council is taking the opportunity to resurface part of the road in Kelston village.
Because of the width and layout of the road this work will need a full road closure so it will take place overnight, between 7pm and 7am, for three nights starting tonight (11th November).
Residents directly affected will be notified and signs put up to inform the travelling public. This will also mean that there will be no access to Kelston via the private toll road between these hours.
Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib-Dem, Newbridge), Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This is a piece of road that needs resurfacing, and we agreed with the local community, that we would take the opportunity to do this before Kelston Road reopens fully in order to minimise disruption.
“We’re pleased to be installing a new road surface using specialist material which minimises traffic noise, for the continued benefit of local residents.”
The landslip repair work and rebuilding of Kelston Road has been a huge project for the Council and its highway maintenance contractor Skanska.
It has cost in the region of £2.6 million and involved drilling concrete piles down as far as 15 metres below the existing ground surface to stabilise the land and support the new road.
A new video showing the challenges faced and the final stages of building the new road can be found at www.bathnes.gov.uk/kelston.
This latest film features time-lapse photography illustrating how the crews have been working solidly – even through the recent severe weather conditions resulting from Hurricane Gonzalo.
