A19 road closure underway at Testo's Roundabout to allow for work to be finished on link roads at major junction

As part of the upgrade work at Testo's Roundabout at Boldon and Downhill Lane, there is a closure which is diverting drivers away from the stretch of the southbound route between the interchange and the next junction at the A1290 Downhill Lane.

It will be in place until 6am on Monday, with the closure put in place at 8pm last night, Friday, November 1, as part of the £125 million project to build a structure to carry A19 traffic over the existing roundabout.

The aim is to reduce severe congestion at peak times and prepare for a forecasted increase in traffic, estimated to be 83,400 vehicles a day by 2033, as well as make it safer.

Average speed cameras have been added to both sides of the carriageway while restrictions are in place.

The Highways Agency has said: “We’re finishing work to build the connector roads and slip roads between Downhill Lane and Testo’s roundabout so that we can move traffic onto them, leaving us space to safely start construction of the flyover.

“Traffic on the north side of the A19 will be switched on to these new roads in early December 2019, with traffic on the south side switched over starting in the New Year, completing by the end of January 2020.

“Once the traffic has been moved we can start the piling work needed to start building the supports which will take the A19 over the existing roundabout structure.”

The agency has said setting out the new lanes has involved substantial earthworks, moving hundreds of thousands of metres of soil, with new drainage being installed.

It has said surface water channels have just started and there will be other finishing works, including safety barriers, road studs and white lining ahead of making the switch.

The agency has drawn up a series of diversion routes during the works, due to be complete in 2021, which can be found by clicking here.