The work is part of the Selly Oak New Road (SONR) Phase 1B scheme, consisting of highway improvements to the Selly Oak Triangle, made up of Bristol Road, Harborne Lane and Chapel Lane.
The scheme started in April 2019 and is expected to be substantially complete by the end of November 2020. It will deliver improved access to the University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth hospital site and retail parks in Selly Oak, and support the regeneration of Bournbrook and Selly Oak local centre.
A major milestone for the scheme will be changes in how traffic moves around the junction. Harborne Lane will be operating as a dual carriageway with traffic in both directions from the evening of 25 October. Birmingham City Council has written to residents to explain the new layout and advise motorists to follow the new signs carefully.
Chapel Lane will become two-way from mid-November, and construction works are expected to be substantially complete by the end of November 2020. Upon completion the site will also have:
Upgraded pedestrian/cyclist crossings at the junctions;
New segregated cycle tracks along Harborne Lane and Bristol Road;
New bus stops on Bristol Road;
New bus stops in both directions on Chapel Lane.
Residents have also been informed of night-time resurfacing works taking place from Monday 26 October. In order to minimise the impact on road users, the resurfacing works will be carried out in three phases.
Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, Cllr Waseem Zaffar said: “This is part of a major project to improve connectivity in Selly Oak. Completion of these changes will see upgraded facilities for people walking, cycling and on buses, and will reduce traffic congestion through Selly Oak local centre. I’m delighted that these works are nearing completion and that we are delivering significant changes, for the benefit of all travellers.
“I want to thank local residents in advance for their co-operation with these changes. There will be some disruption, but every effort is being made to keep noise and impact on road users to a minimum.”