A new £270,000 project to improve traffic flow, road safety and access for cyclists, pedestrians and buses has started at the A619/Park Road junction in Chesterfield.
New low-energy, intelligent traffic lights will be installed to automatically monitor and adjust timings to minimise delays at the busy junction which provides access to the popular Ravenside Retail Park.
To help encourage cycling and walking, a new Toucan crossing will be installed at the crossing on Park Road, with wider footways to provide space for pedestrians and cyclists. The Toucan crossing will automatically detect cyclists and alert the traffic lights to change to reduce waiting times.
As part of the scheme, any local buses running late will be automatically prioritised with a green light to make up lost time, increasing the convenience of travelling by bus.
New LED (light emitting diode) streetlights will also be installed on the approaches to the junction to reduce energy costs and improve visibility for all road users.
To help reduce delays as far as possible during the works, engineers are trialling the use of a new high-tech temporary traffic light system, which is being used for the first time in the county. The system mirrors the way the junction’s permanent lights normally work to keep disruption to a minimum.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal said:“We are using the very latest technology to bring state-of-the-art traffic solutions to this busy junction in Chesterfield.
“The new traffic lights and pedestrian crossings we install will interact with each other to maximise traffic flow for all road users, improving road safety and reducing delays and greenhouse gas emissions.
“We recognise the improvements will lead to some short-term delays while the works are being carried out which is why we are trialling the new high-tech temporary traffic lights to try to keep these delays to a minimum.
“I’d like to thank local road users for their patience during these improvements which are one part of our £50m package to make Derbyshire a safer, more connected county for everyone.”
Site preparation works will start on Monday 28 March, with the construction works beginning on Wednesday 30 March. The roadworks will be in place from 8am to 4pm. Local road users are encouraged to allow extra time for their journeys.
