Transformation of Silverlink now in its final stages

There is light at the end of the tunnel and this project is on track to finish in March 2019 Steven Cox

WORK on one of the North East’s biggest highways revamps is entering its final stage.

The £75m Highways England scheme to lower the A19 under the A1058 Coast Road and Silverlink roundabout in North Tyneside is now 70% complete.

Work started on the project in June 2016 and is on schedule to finish in March next year.

So far, three new bridges have been constructed – one to support the Coast Road over the junction and two to carry the roundabout over the lowered A19.

Now, work is taking place to dig out 80,000 cubic metres of soil to create the underpass – that’s enough to fill 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The earth will be re-used for another upcoming scheme to upgrade the A19 Testos roundabout in South Tyneside.

Steven Cox, Highways England assistant project manager, said nearly 25,000 cubic metres of material has already been excavated.

He added: “There is light at the end of the tunnel and this project is on track to finish in March 2019.

“We are nearly three quarters complete now, with the main bulk of the work digging out the 80,000 cubic metres of soil being the last major milestone.

“Drivers who use this junction regularly will already be able to see progress as the earth is removed to create the third layer of the junction, which will mean people will be able to continue straight along the A19 underneath the roundabout.

“The final supports for the A1058 westbound bridge were lifted into place a few days ago and we have started the foundation work on the pedestrian and cycle bridges.”

To support the new structures, more than 580 piles have been installed which end to end will cover seven miles. There are also two miles of new drainage.

Over the next 10 months, improvements will be carried out to 1,175 metres of cycleway, and an extra 247m will be created – the same length as the Tyne Tunnel.

The gantries for improved signage will be installed and the roundabout will be resurfaced.

Omar Elhalhuli, highways project manager at contractors Sisk Lagan, said that a lot of excavation work had already taken place. The team expects to start digging underneath the Coast Road area in July. And the new trough will be visible by about August or September.

He added: “We have been on site since June 2016 and the first year was tough logistically. We had to have a few traffic switches so we could carry out the work. “But this is the push to the finish.”

The Silverlink junction is used by more than 80,000 drivers daily. Around 120 people work on site every day and 60% of the workforce are from the North East.

The scheme is also supporting the Year of the Engineering campaign, which aims to inspire young people to consider engineering as a career.