The £250 million A47 dualling project between North Tuddenham and Easton reached a major milestone this week.
National Highways moved traffic onto a newly built stretch of road. Crews completed the switch early on Monday morning, 16 February.
The change kept the huge infrastructure project on track. It also brought Norfolk one step closer to safer, faster journeys.
A47 Dualling: 700 Tonnes Laid in One Weekend
Over one intensive weekend, teams reconfigured the A47. They closed the road in both directions from Longwater Junction to Dereham interchange between 8pm on Friday 13 February and 6am on Monday 16 February.
Engineers laid 700 tonnes of new asphalt. They also carried out essential maintenance work.
From Monday morning, traffic began using a temporary new local road linking to Easton. The route connects with Norwich Road. This allows construction of the new dual carriageway to continue safely.
Chris Griffin, who is leading the scheme for National Highways, said the project remains on schedule.
He said:
“This weekend marked an important milestone. We moved traffic off the old A47 to this newly built local road so we can continue work on the new dual carriageway.
“Over the course of the weekend, we laid 700 tonnes of new asphalt and progressed a busy programme of maintenance works.
“Once completed, this new dual carriageway will bring a major boost to the area – delivering safer, less congested travel and easier access to the city of Norwich and beyond.”
Safer Roads for 25,000 Drivers a Day
More than 25,000 vehicles used this stretch of the A47 every day in 2019. Traffic levels have continued to grow.
The scheme will replace the existing single carriageway with a new dual carriageway between North Tuddenham and Easton.
Two new junctions are being built:
Berry’s Lane and Wood Lane
Blind Lane and Taverham Road
The removal of the existing Easton roundabout will create safer routes for walkers and cyclists.
The current 40mph speed limit remains in place. Average speed cameras are enforcing it throughout construction.
Work began in October 2024 following extensive preliminary investigations, including archaeology. The full scheme is due for completion in 2027.
The A47 North Tuddenha to Easton improvement is one of three major A47 upgrades currently under way in Norfolk.
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