en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UK A417 Missing Link project has reached a significant milestone, with motorists able to use the first section of an important new road for the first time.

National Highways has confirmed that from Monday, July 6, a new section of the upgraded route in Gloucestershire will open to traffic. The project, which began in early 2023, aims to improve a roughly 3-mile stretch of single-carriageway road between the Brockworth bypass and the Cowley roundabout, an area historically plagued by congestion and safety issues. The project will build 4 miles of new dual carriageway, connecting the existing A417 Brockworth bypass with the dual carriageway south of Cowley.

The upgrade also includes constructing a new interchange at Shab Hill to connect the A417, the A436 to Oxford, and Birdlip; as well as a new junction near Cowley to replace the existing roundabout. Following a weekend closure, motorists will begin using a 2-mile section of the new route. Traffic will be diverted from the existing A417 carriageway onto the new road, entering via the Ullenwood junction, located at the intersection of Leckhampton Hill and the A436.

National Highways has advised motorists that the appearance and feel of the temporary layout will change: lanes will be narrower, and a 40 mph speed limit will apply when vehicles travel under the new Green Bridge and through the Shab Hill valley interchange area. This arrangement is expected to last for at least five weeks, during which subsequent construction work will continue. The existing A417 section between Air Balloon and the B4070 will be permanently closed, with plans to repurpose it for non-motorized use.

This traffic switch is one of the most significant milestones to date, allowing road users to experience part of the new route while work continues towards completion. The A417 Missing Link project is expected to be fully completed by early 2027.