Construction has started on a 100-tonne temporary bridge over the River Witham that will carry the haul road for the North Hykeham Relief Road works.
Purpose and scale of the bridge
The temporary structure is being installed to provide a safe route for construction traffic serving the wider relief road project. The scheme will deliver a five-mile (8km) dual carriageway near Waddington to complete a traffic loop around Lincoln and link the A15 and A46.
“The haul road will help reduce congestion, noise and disruption for residents throughout the works, while also improving safety and journey reliability for other road users.”
The comment came from Councillor David East, the county council's executive member for highways.
Construction details and timeline
Lincolnshire County Council says the temporary bridge will carry more than 100,000 construction vehicles while the relief road is built. The authority expects the bridge itself to take about four months to complete.
- Structure weight: 100 tonnes
- Relief road length: five miles (8km)
- Bridge build time: four months
- Funding: £200 million from the Department for Transport and Lincolnshire County Council
Local impact and junction work
The council says the relief road will help to ease congestion in North Hykeham and Lincoln and will support new housing and employment opportunities in the area. As part of the scheme, new roundabouts will be constructed at South Hykeham Road, Brant Road and Grantham Road.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Temporary bridge | 100 tonnes; ~4 months to build |
| Relief road | Five-mile (8km) dual carriageway linking A15 and A46 |
| Vehicles expected | More than 100,000 construction vehicles |
| Funding | £200m (DfT & Lincolnshire County Council) |
Work to build the haul road and bridge marks a visible early phase of the project. The authority argues that routing heavy construction traffic along the temporary route will reduce the impact on local roads and communities while the main carriageway and junction upgrades are delivered.
For residents, the next months are likely to bring increased construction activity around the Witham and along approaches to North Hykeham. The council's messaging stresses improved safety and reduced disruption for other road users while the works are under way.
Further details about the wider programme of construction, including any traffic management plans and timings for the new roundabouts, will be shared by the county council as the project progresses.
