M3 junction 9 closes for bridge demolition this weekend

Summarised from BBC Hampshire's report · Updated 22 Oct, 07:03 · Archive

The M3 motorway near Winchester will close this weekend for demolition of old bridges as part of a £290m junction upgrade.

The M3 motorway will close in both directions this weekend to allow the demolition of two old gyratory bridges at junction 9 near Winchester. The closure runs from 21:00 on Friday until 06:00 on Monday, with a second closure scheduled for 6 to 9 November. The northern bridge will be demolished this weekend, with the southern bridge to follow in November.

The £290m project to rebuild junction 9 has reached its halfway point and is on track to finish in summer 2028. Two new, wider bridges are already in place and being used by traffic. Once the old bridges and their concrete supports are removed, the M3 will be widened to four lanes in each direction. Two underpasses will create free-flowing links between the A34 and M3, allowing drivers to avoid using the roundabout to switch between the two roads.

National Highways said peak-time journeys through the junction will be almost 30% faster once the work is complete. The scheme also includes new routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and a new footbridge over the River Itchen. Drivers will be directed along a signed diversion route between the two junctions during the closures.

Read the report

• Motorway to close for bridge demolitionThe £290m project to rebuild the junction on the M3 in Hampshire has reached its halfway point.BBC Hampshire · 22 Oct, 06:08

In this story: M3 · Winchester · National Highways · A34

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