A highway intersection along the A34 close to Abingdon will undergo closure as major building work progresses on a new £36 million interchange.

Oxfordshire County Council is partnering with construction companies to develop a fresh interchange for drivers at Lodge Hill, with the project expected to finish by December.

The current Lodge Hill junction only provides slip roads facing northward, but the upgrade will bring new southward-facing slip roads while also upgrading cycling and walking infrastructure in the vicinity.

Introducing these southward-facing slip roads should cut down traffic buildup in the town centre because some motorists will no longer have to travel through it to access the A34 heading south at the Marcham Interchange.

Construction at the location has been proceeding without issues, although drivers are being warned that some inconvenience is likely in the months ahead.

A council representative explained that shutting the present Lodge Hill slip roads onto the A34 will be required to allow the realignment and connection of the new roundabouts to the existing slip roads.

These closures are anticipated to include the Lodge Hill northbound entry slip in early June for approximately four to six weeks, and the Lodge Hill southbound exit slip in early July for around four to six weeks.

Additional details and suitable alternative routes will be released as the work draws nearer.

Building has also gotten under way at the Harwell layby, with groundwork being undertaken to create a temporary satellite construction base.

Three-way temporary traffic lights are presently operating on the Harwell link road until the end of the month.

Looking ahead, earthworks, drainage activities and embankment building will continue for the new slip roads, alongside ongoing construction of the northern and southern roundabouts.

The representative mentioned that a fresh traffic management arrangement has now been put in place, using the finished portion of the north roundabout.

Northbound traffic on the A4183 must travel in the left lane to reach the new half of the roundabout. Vehicles turning right onto the A34 still retain priority over those moving southward.

The present southbound A4183 traffic still gives way to vehicles turning onto the northbound A34.

The A4183 past the give-way point now functions as the southbound-only lane for traffic travelling towards Abingdon.

The interchange development near Abingdon is primarily funded through a £17 million-plus allocation from Homes England’s Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land fund, with additional money from developer contributions and the Housing Growth Deal.

Last July, it emerged that the budget for the scheme had risen to £36.09 million to cover increasing costs.