The A338 WILL be fully reopen from 6am on Saturday morning.

The nine month long rebuild of the Spur Road will finish as planned when the last overnight closure ends tomorrow.

The road is back to four lanes already today, but the 40mph speed limit remains in place and tonight's overnight closure is still going ahead. 

It has taken more than 11,000 man days, 64,000 cones, signs, and reflectors, and more than 35,000 tonnes of new road surface to achieve the new carriageway.

Funded through the Dorset Growth Deal, the work was the first of the Bournemouth International Growth Programme’s transport projects intended to 'unlock suppressed growth' around Bournemouth Airport and boost the local economy.

The stretch of the A338 between Ashley Heath and Blackwater has been completely rebuilt and now boasts:

  • A new lower noise surface layer
  • 1 metre hard strip for emergency use
  • Improved drainage to reduce flooding and ponding
  •  New concrete central reserve safety barrier to reduce maintenance and likelihood of crossover accidents
  • New road signs, cats’ eyes and road markings

But there are no longer any parking laybys - they have all been marked for maintainence use only.

A council spokesman told the Echo: "It wasn’t possible to reconstruct the lay-bys to a suitable standard within the design of the scheme. It will also help prevent fly-tipping into the essential drainage ditches."

During the work 70,000 tonnes of material from the old road has been recycled, which the council says makes it one of the greenest road maintenance projects in the country.

Keeping the material on site to be recycled has also reduced carbon emissions by 582 tonnes compared with transporting the material from a quarry.

As well as using some of the most cutting-edge technology in terms of rebuilding roads, Dorset County Council bosses also looked at new ways of tackling the newt problem. 

Usually councils are required to apply for a licence from Natural England before beginning lengthy work to install reptile fencing and move the creatures by hand.

To avoid that, ecologists at Dorset County Council worked closely with Natural England to agree a new method of working – making the verges unattractive as habitat while enhancing other areas nearby to encourage the reptiles to move home.

There are also specially-designed tunnels for them - and otters - through the concrete barrier which runs nearly the entire length of the road.

Gordon Page, chairman of Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership said, “We’re delighted that the major investment in the A338, an economy-boosting infrastructure project, has been completed on schedule.

"Our road networks drive Dorset’s economy and play a crucial role in supporting jobs and growth.

“Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership was successful in a competitive bid to secure £22 million through the Dorset Growth Deal to ensure the future viability of the A338, the key link road to Bournemouth Airport, one of our county’s prime business assets.

"The new improved major trunk road means more reliable journey times, and improved road user safety for years to come.”

Councillor Peter Finney, Deputy Leader of Dorset County Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Highways said: “The reconstruction of the Spur Road was long overdue and I’m pleased Dorset Highways have been able to work with our partners Hanson Contracting UK and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff to make it one of the greenest road maintenance projects in the country.

"Not only is the recycling rate exceptional, but we have enhanced twenty-three hectares of nearby heathland and created new habitat for reptiles.

“These last nine months have felt like a lifetime for drivers and businesses, I’d like to thank you for your patience.”

The council says engineers will be monitoring the new road over the coming weeks and two weeks of night closures are provisionally booked at the end of June for any additional completion works.