Warning of A38 road closures

Overnight closures on the A38 at Heathfield are due to start from the evening of Monday 27 April to enable a new bridge to be lifted into place.
 
Work has been progressing well on the scheme during the winter - piling work and foundations of the structure will be completed shortly, and the 38 metre main span, along with the east side approach ramps, will now be craned into position during the overnight closures.
 
A 500 tonne crane will be located on the southbound carriageway to carry out the lift. It is anticipated that four nights are required to complete the work, but five evening closures have been scheduled until Friday 1 May in case more time is needed due to delays caused by adverse weather conditions. While the A38 is closed, vehicles will be diverted via Newton Abbot and the A380, and vice versa.
 
The west side approach ramps will be moved into place the following week, with the crane located in the field opposite Daintons. Traffic on the A38 is not expected to be affected during this phase of the lift.
 
The £1.8 million scheme will provide a dedicated link from Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey for pedestrians, cyclists and horseriders. The scheme forms part of the Granite and Gears project, led by the County Council and Dartmoor National Park.
 
The bridge structure and ramps have been constructed off-site by Kent-based steel fabricators Nusteel Structures. The main span over the dual carriageway will be delivered in two halves, spliced together on site, and lifted into place.
 
The scheme, being built by contractor South West Highways (SWH Ltd), is due to be completed in the summer and is being carried out thanks to the co-operation of landowners Sibelco and Imerys. Highways England will adopt the structure once it is complete.
 
The Granite and Gears project was awarded £4.4 million funding from The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Cycling Ambition fund in August 2013 to develop a network of multi-use trails to open up access to Dartmoor. The aim of the project is to encourage a 43% increase in cycling on the moor between 2015 and 2018, bringing an extra £6 million to the local economy and creating the potential for around 100 new jobs.  The project is also supported with an additional £3 million from Local Transport Plan funding, section 106 money and contributions from Devon County Council, Dartmoor National Park, Teignbridge District Council and West Devon Borough Council.