Work on a £25 million underpass to transform the main gateway to a Black Country town will start next year, it has been revealed today.
The hotly-anticipated dual carriageway underpass in West Bromwich will start taking shape in November 2009, after years in the pipeline. It will be created underneath the choked-up roundabout at All Saints Way and the Expressway, used by 63,000 vehicles every day. International firm Scott Wilson Group will draw up detailed plans for the development.
It is expected to be open to motorists in 2011.
Robin Weare, Sandwell Council’s senior manager for the scheme, said: “It is being designed to separate local and through traffic and provide improved access to the town centre.
“Scott Wilson has now been commissioned and their designs should be ready early in 2009, with work due to begin in November 2009,” he added.
Existing public subways will also be replaced. New pedestrian and cycle routes will be created as part of the project. Tenders are out across Europe to find a contractor to do the work.
Rob Lee, Sandwell Council’s director of planning and transportation, said: “This is an ambitious scheme which will be a huge shot in the arm for the regeneration of the town and the borough.”
The Government is forking out £22 million towards the cost of the underpass.
The remainder of the costs will come from supermarket giant Tesco, as part of its redevelopment of the neighbouring town centre.
A number of schemes were devised to help tackle problems at the notoriously-busy roundabout including a flyover and what was termed a “hamburger junction” which involved a series of islands to steer traffic around the pinch point.
But the underpass was voted the favourite because of the great amount of land available and the ease in directing traffic through the junction. The underpass project is one of a series of regeneration developments which are set to transform the face of West Bromwich over the next decade.
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