Five months of roadworks to begin at busy Lincoln junction
Drivers are being warned of delays and diversions from October 5 as new traffic lights are installed on Doddington Road
Five months of roadworks will begin soon to install traffic lights on a busy Lincoln junction.
The junction at Doddington Road and Birchwood Avenue will be upgraded to increase road capacity and reduce congestion.
A local councillor says the area is known as a “traffic blackspot”, but isn’t sure whether lights in this location will improve the situation.
The work is required to be carried out to meet future demand of the City of Lincoln Council’s major Charterholme house-building project.
Drivers are advised to leave extra time for journeys as temporary signals and diversion routes are put in place from October 5.
Motorists will be unable to turn from Birchwood Avenue onto Doddington Road for most of the duration, although the other direction will remain open.
Independent Councillor Biff Bean, who represents the area, said: “Doddington Road is famous for being a traffic blackspot, you can often get queues all the way back to the train barriers.
“It’s not too bad turning left from Birchwood Avenue it as you can merge, but people can wait a long time to turn right.
“The reaction I’ve got is that people aren’t too happy with these works – they think they aren’t needed.
“They might have been more effective on the junction with Pershore Way, where it’s really difficult to get out of.
“Five months is a long time, and the disruption will affect a lot of people.”
Cllr Joshua Wells, portfolio holder for Inclusive Economic Growth at City of Lincoln Council, said: “Charterholme is a huge development, and one that will benefit the city for generations to come, so getting the right infrastructure in place is a key part of making sure it can progress successfully.
“We recognise that construction works can cause some disruption, which is why the works have been planned to keep roads open wherever possible and minimise the impact on residents and road users.
“This latest phase of work is another step forward in delivering the infrastructure needed alongside the development, as we continue working with our partners to help the new Charterholme community take shape.”
The Charterholme development on Skellingthorpe Road will eventually include up to 3,200 homes, new shops and a school.
Lindum Group Director, Mark Burnett, said: “The Charterholme masterplan includes improvements to several junctions across the city, aimed at addressing the development’s transport impacts and supporting future travel demand.
“The highway improvements are intended to provide additional road capacity and help manage existing and increased traffic on surrounding routes as the development progresses.”