Six months of roadworks at Longbarrow (From Salisbury Journal)

Six months of roadworks at Longbarrow

1:14pm Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News By Jill Harding

ROADWORKS at Longbarrow Crossroads near Stonehenge will begin next week and last for six months.

The project is part of a scheme to improve the road layout near the World Heritage Site, ahead of the new visitor centre opening next year.

Work gets underway next Monday and, once complete, will allow for the closure of the A344 which runs next to the Stonehenge monument.

Highways Agency project sponsor, Mark Arberry, said: “This is an important contribution to the long term management plan for Stonehenge to improve the setting of the monument and ensure its preservation as an iconic World Heritage Site.

“The proposed improvements to the northern and eastern approaches to the roundabout will accommodate changes in traffic flows following the A344 closure and the centre of the roundabout itself will be moved.” New lanes will be added to the roundabout to take the extra traffic caused by the closure of the A344 and the centre of the roundabout itself will be realigned.

English Heritage has been consulted and an archaeologist will be on site during the excavation work.

The work will require lane closures on the approaches to Longbarrow Roundabout for the duration of the work with a temporary 40mph speed limit in place. The A360 south of Longbarrow Roundabout will be closed for up to eight days and nights on dates to be confirmed during either February or March. Clearly signed diversion routes will be in operation using the A345 or the A36.

Road users are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.