A34 Overnight closure overnight 18 & 19 May 

We have now reached the point at which the first 10 beams that will support the upper A34 deck over the new road below need to be lifted into place. This will be done on the nights of 18 May and 19 May.

Overnight full closures of the A34, affecting only the area at Milton Interchange which is currently reduced to two lanes in each directionaffecting only the area at Milton Interchange, which is currently reduced to two lanes in each direction, has been agreed with Highways England for those two nights.

The diversions will be as follows:

• A34 northbound traffic will leave at Chilton interchange, following the A4185 to Rowstock and straight through that roundabout onto the A4130 northbound. Traffic will re-join the A34 at Milton from the A4130, using the northbound slip road. This is the normal diversion route.
   
• A34 southbound traffic will be diverted down Milton off slip and re-join the A34 immediately through the roundabout. The closures will take place from 10pm each night until 6am on each night.

What work is happening at the moment?

This phase of the work is well advanced. Over 60 concrete columns, known as piles, have been installed and concrete poured to form the sides of the first part of the bridge. The beams forming the deck, on which the new carriageway will be laid, are being lifted into place during this the closure.

This will form the first part of a recognisable bridge viewed from the Didcot direction. On the A4130, approaching the Milton Interchange from the Steventon direction, work is well advanced on widening the road and improving the capacity of the slip road up onto the A34. Motorists will have seen the excavation work on the bank and clearance of vegetation. New drainage has been laid and new kerbs installed along the edge of the new carriageway.

The embankment has been strengthened by soil nails and webbing to stop erosion.. Another area of activity is on the exit from Milton Park towards the interchange. Here the footpath is being widened for pedestrians walking from Milton Park towards the Milton Interchange. This will eventually allow the road junction at Milton Interchange to flow better during peaks times. The road has temporarily been narrowed and a 10 mph speed limit is in place while this work takes place. The footpath remains open.

General traffic management

Throughout the construction work two lanes remain open in each direction and motorists are reminded to stay in lane and avoid last minute lane changes. Two lanes are also open on the A4130 roundabout. Both lanes on the A34 southbound can be used to continue on the A34.

Please be aware average speed cameras are in use and speed limits should be followed at all times. Traffic travelling south (towards Newbury) on the A34 is subject to a 30mph speed limit through the work.

The left hand lane is diverted down the slip road, around the A4130 roundabout and back up to the A34. Traffic shows that almost 50% of southbound traffic leaves the A34 at this point normally. Traffic heading north (towards Oxford) on the A34 is subject to a 40mph speed limit within narrowed lanes. We continue to monitor and actively manage the traffic signals to mitigate any disruption approaching the junction.

Milton services open as usual

While the work continues the local businesses on the A4130 at Milton services, McDonalds, BP Connect, Premier Inn, the Applecart Restaurant, Costa Coffee and Ridgeway Volkswagen all remain open as usual.

You can find out more about the work being done at the Milton Interchange on our project page  and elsewhere in Oxfordshire on our Travel Choices pages