City Way dualling begins

Works on dualling the B1268 City Way from Monarch Way to Doxford Park Way are underway.

They are part of a wider scheme of improvements that have already included re-modelling and improving capacity at the A690 Durham Road and A19 junction to help support the South Sunderland Growth Area (SSGA).

The SSGA includes major housing schemes at Chapelgarth, Cherry Knowle, South Ryhope and permissions for developing up to 1,000 new homes on land north of Burdon Lane are now being finalised. 

These developments are part of the City Council's City Plan and wider housing strategy to improve housing choices with more than 7,000 new homes over the next ten years and build a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland.

To help support the housing plans, the City Council was awarded £25.4m from the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF). In addition to the A19 junction improvements and City Way, the funding will be used towards completing the Ryhope Doxford link road and joint working is underway with Durham County Council for further improvements to the A1018/A19 junction at Seaton west of Seaham.

City Way works are about improving vehicle flows, reducing congestion and increasing the current road network capacity for new housing developments.

The 12 month City Way works programme include:

• Highway improvements from single to dual carriageway with a central reservation and signalised junction

• Installation of a Pegasus (equestrian) crossing installed to the west of the Camberwell Way junction, as a continuation of the existing public bridleway, with a footpath ramp on the northern embankment to allow for disabled access to the crossing facility

• Renewal of both sets of steps on the northern section of the Camberwell Way junction

• Toucan (pedestrian and cycle) crossing to the west of the Camberwell Way junction and a Puffin (pedestrian) to the east

• Reduction of the speed limit from National Speed Limit to 40mph from A19/A690 Junction to Doxford Park Way.

Executive Director of City Development at Sunderland City Council, Peter McIntyre said: "We have received not only Government backing for our housing plans in Sunderland, but also funding for the new roads and highways improvements that are needed to support the housing.

"Improvements to City Way are very much part of the bigger picture for continuing the 21st century transformation social and economic transformation of Sunderland."

ENDS