Jacksons wins £23m 'two-bridge flyover' work on A429

Kent County Council has awarded Jacksons Civil Engineering a £23m contract to overhaul a junction on the A249 near Sittingbourne.

The works to the junction at Grovehurst Road will replace the existing dumbell junction with a two-bridge flyover, creating a gyratory system.

The project is one of two junctions on the A249 to the west of Sittingbourne awarded £38m from the Housing and Infrastructure Fund to deliver highway improvements.

The Grovehurst Road junction is located on the A249 to the north-east of M2 Junction 5 heading towards the Isle of Sheppey.

According to Kent CC, road users currently using the junction (pictured) often experience high volumes of traffic, which results in significant vehicle queues and congestion, with traffic expected to increase as a result of planned growth in the surrounding area.

The works comprise:

• repurposing the existing two-way bridge into a two-lane one-way bridge, forming part of the new gyratory
• constructing an additional bridge north-east of the existing bridge over the A249 (composite bridge with piled foundations)
• removing the existing roundabouts to the north-west and south east of the A249
• installing traffic lights on the gyratory and respective roundabout approaches
• altering the roundabout approach and exit arrangements between the new gyratory and Grovehurst Road and Swale Way
• changing the A249 slip roads, particularly the two Isle of Sheppey facing slip roads, which will be completely reconstructed
• providing a new access to Nichols Transport Logistics Park to the north-east of Swale Way introducing pedestrian and cycle priority (toucan) crossings
• widening the existing footways and verges where possible to provide shared footways and cycleways.

The contract award notice gives the value of the deal as £22,640,000.

Works are scheduled to begin next month and be completed by September 2024.