A16/A52 BOSTON ON-LINE WIDENING MAJOR RAIL/ROAD CLOSURES

Written on Wednesday 23rd February 2011

During the first weekend in March, Lincolnshire County Council’s contractors will be undertaking extensive works at the West Street level crossing. This will see the planned improvements to the level crossing, as part of the Boston On-Line Widening, substantially complete.  Once finished, there will be three traffic lanes provided across the level crossing (one travelling into town and two out of town).  There will also be a footway on the south side and a combined footway and cycleway on the north side. This work will reduce the existing bottleneck for both pedestrian and vehicles, experienced at this level crossing for a number of years.

Due to the invasive nature of the works required at the level crossing, certain activities must be undertaken during a period of no trains.  The first weekend in March will see a blockade established at Grantham, by Network Rail for other rail engineering works to be undertaken, which will stop all passenger trains from travelling to Boston (replacement bus services will be available). At this time, Lincolnshire County Council has been granted permission by Network Rail to do our invasive works at the West Street level crossing.

Therefore, between 10pm on Friday 4th March and 6am on Monday 7th March, the West Street level crossing will be closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. During these periods, crews will be working around the clock, to deliver this vital improvement to the Boston transport network.

To minimise the possible disruption caused by these proposals, the following diversions will be signed:

Official diversion routes

•    Vehicles will be diverted via Lister Way (the Asda link), Fydell Street, Norfolk Street, Horncastle Road, A16 John Adams Way; and vice versa.

•    Pedestrians will be diverted via the pedestrian footbridge at the Boston Train Station. NOTE: an alternative route, avoiding steps, will be available at the station and will be manned 24hrs per day.

To help reduce the amount of traffic on the official diversion route, traffic from further afield that would usually pass over the level crossing, will also be signed along the following alternative routes.

Advisory diversion routes

•    Approaching Boston from the A17 Sleaford – Boston central and east traffic will be signed to continue along the A17 and to enter Boston up the A16 Spalding Road, bypassing the closure.

•    Approaching Boston from the A52 Skegness – Boston west and Sleaford traffic will be signed north along the A16 to Sibsey, onto the B1184 through Frithville and onto the B1192 up to Hubberts Bridge, bypassing the closure. 

•    Travelling down the A16 John Adams Way heading west – traffic will be directed via the A16/A17, also bypassing the closure.

•    Broadfield Street will be temporarily opened, at the junction of Queen Street for the duration of the closure.

•    Signing will be erected on the A17 Sleaford by-pass, directing east coast traffic to follow the A153 towards Skegness.

All Highway and Rail schemes within Lincolnshire County Council are undertaken with safety as a high priority, for both the travelling public and for the workforce. To ensure the safety of the travelling public and the workforce, the full closure for vehicles, pedestrians and rail passengers is unavoidable.


Steve Willis, Head of Highways South, Lincolnshire County Council said:
 
“This much-needed project to help reduce congestion in Boston enters its final phase, and we now need road users, residents and businesses to bear with us during these significant improvements at the level crossing.
 
“Any short-term pain will be outweighed by the long-term gains that this will bring to the town.  We encourage everyone to allow extra time for their journeys and to expect delays, with diversions clearly signed.”