Bridge over A19 taken down bit by bit as plans for £125 million flyover at Testo's Roundabout press on

The stretch of the A19 was closed between Lindisfarne Roundabout in Jarrow and Testo’s Roundabout at Boldon from Friday night to allow the work to be complete.

The road had been due to reopen at 6am today, Monday, July 22, but traffic was able to use it from 11pm last night, Sunday, July 21, after the Highways Agency said the team had pulled out all the stops to get the work done.

The work saw the 13 metre wide West House Bridleway Bridge, which had linked West House Farm and Boldon Business Park, taken down to make way for the new flyover.

The removal created room to build the flyover that will carry the A19 over a new roundabout, and marks the first major milestone of the £125 million scheme to improve congestion and reduce journey times.

Highways England senior project manager Tom Howard said: “I want to thank drivers for their patience over the weekend while we carried out the removal of the bridge in a safe and timely manner.

“We are pleased the job was finished ahead of schedule and hope it caused minimum disruption.”

The demolition was a key part of the two-and-a-half-year project, which will see the A19 raised above the existing Testo’s roundabout and new slip roads built to connect the roundabout to the A184.

Once complete, drivers travelling on the A19 will no longer need to negotiate a junction, and will instead continue their journey uninterrupted.

It will also include and another at the Downhill Lane Junction, which is one of the main routes to Nissan and into the north of Sunderland.

By the end of this month, the average speed cameras installed on the stretch last week will be turned on.