A CRUCIAL route used by 38,000 drivers every day is set to close for a year as part of a £25 million upgrade plan.
The road, which is the only one of its kind in Europe, is managed by space-age tech which needs to be updated.
The Saltash Tunnel in Cornwall will see closures for almost a year from November[/caption]
Drivers will face significant disruption along the A38 in Cornwall, particularly at the Saltash Tunnel.
National Highways is undertaking the £25 million refurbishment of the road over the next few months.
This will see upgrades to the tunnel itself, as well as new LED lights, electronic signs and cooling fans.
The road is the only crossing in Europe that operates a tidal flow system, where the direction of the lanes changes based on demand.
Highway bosses insist that the revamp is “essential” to maintain the safe flow of traffic, with the complex technology that manages it set to be updated.
Some preparatory work has already taken place, with old cables stripped out earlier this year.
This has also seen the speed limit lowered from 70mph to 50mph on a large section of the road, while new cameras have been put in to enforce the 30mph on another stretch.
The next stage of the project will see new fixtures installed, including automatic barriers to close the road off in the event of an emergency.
Closures will begin this November and are expected to last until the Autumn of 2025.
The restrictions will see the tunnel become inaccessible between 8pm to 6am on weeknights throughout that period.
Drivers will instead be provided with two diversion routes, one via the B3271 and the other through North Road.
The inner westbound lane will also be narrowed until Sprin 2025, with the tidal flow system suspended.
Overall, the road is expected to fully reopen after 12 months.
Julian Mitchell, Tunnel Manager for National Highways, said: “The tunnel is safe but it is essential that we replace our systems which have been operating for 20-plus years, to make the tunnel fit for now and for the future.
“The tunnel and the tidal flow corridor rely on specialised technology to operate and keep our customers safe, there’s been a considerable amount of planning over several years to identify efficiencies and bring the tunnel’s systems up to modern standards, and ultimately this will reduce the number of future maintenance closures.
“We appreciate the scheme will have some impact on road users and Saltash residents, but we’re keeping the closures to an absolute minimum and we thank all drivers and residents in advance for their co-operation and patience ahead of starting work on this generational upgrade.
“We’ll be keeping local communities informed ahead of start of work and in the meantime, we advise people to prepare, plan ahead and consider a little extra time for their overnight journeys.”
