A MAJOR £8.3 million project to reconstruct Southampton’s Millbrook Roundabout will finish next weekend, following six months of work and road closures.

Coming to an end on April 7, improvements have included a new road surface, updated traffic signals, and a dedicated two-way cycle route.

Finishing touches will be put in place as part of night works which started earlier this week. These include final fixes to signals, surfaces and the painting of road markings.

The southwest section of the roundabout and the northbound section of First Avenue, up to the entrance to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre, will continue to be shut until the scheme finishes.

Millbrook flyover will continue to remain fully open throughout the works.

Mike Harris, deputy chief executive at Southampton City Council, said: “Please bear with us as we make these final essential overnight closures on Millbrook Roundabout to get us over the finish line. Make sure you check out our web pages for the full details.

“We’d like to thank all road users for their patience these past months while we’ve carried out this essential work. Our crews on the ground have been working hard and I’m really pleased we’ll manage to finish the work on specification and ahead of time. This investment will secure the long term future of the roundabout which is key to the future prosperity of the city and the region.”

As reported, Southampton City Council says the works are important for the future of the junction, as the roundabout is used by more than 30,000 vehicles a day, including 4,000 heavy goods vehicles.

The majority of the scheme’s funding, £5 million, has come from from the Department for Transport, with Southampton City Council adding in £3.3 million.

During the start of the works, city motorists were hit by the closure, with queues and tailbacks across Southampton, including the M27 and M271.