Work is set to begin to widen a major commuter road.
Salterhebble Hill, near to Calderdale Royal Infirmary, will be widened to improve journey times on the Huddersfield to Halifax road.
Work planned includes:
- Widening Salterhebble Hill to four lanes;
- Remodelling the junctions at Dudwell Lane and Dryclough Lane;
- Upgrading each Pelican crossing;
- Installing new traffic light technology and improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
A unique retaining wall will also be constructed on the western Halifax-bound side, featuring plants to bring more greenery to the area.
It’s the next phase of improvements along the A629 and work is due to begin in late July.
Calderdale Council will raze shops, which they bought under a compulsory purchase order, at the bottleneck to carry out the project.
It will be followed by a major upgrade of the Calder and Hebble junction in late 2018, from Ainley Top towards the Stainland Road junction.
And it follows work already done which includes a revised junction at the A629/Shaw Hill/Free School Lane, where the road has been widened, extra lanes created, new traffic light technology, dedicated cycleways and pedestrian crossings.
Clr Barry Collins, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “I’m delighted that local people are already seeing real benefits from the improvements at Shaw Hill.
“This is exactly what we’re aiming to achieve through our A629 project – quicker and easier journeys, better access to jobs and business opportunities, improved connectivity to and from the M62 and boosted economic growth.”
Work is being funded by the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund programme, which is investing £1 billion over 10 years in more than 30 transport infrastructure schemes across West Yorkshire and York.
Further phases along the Huddersfield-Halifax route include a £10m plan to Halifax Road in Huddersfield, previously reported by the Examiner.
The changes are:
- Remove parking from both sides of Halifax Road from the Cavalry Arms to Birchencliffe Hill Road to enable free-flow of traffic.
- Extend the southern approach lane onto Ainley Top roundabout from the Yew Tree Road junction of Halifax Road.
- Consider an additional left slip onto Ainley Top roundabout from Halifax Road.
- Widen the junction of Blacker Road/Edgerton Grove Road/ New North Road and Edgerton Road.
- Realignment of the Cavalry Arms junction.
Other phases include work around Halifax town centre and the railway station.
