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Leeds city council has
awarded the contract to build the £32m East Leeds Link Road to Birse Civils
Ltd. The project will involve the
construction of 3.9 kilometres of dual carriageway, five major junctions
including three roundabouts and an environmentally-friendly drainage system.
The road is due for completion in 2008.
When the route between the city centre and the M1 is complete it will open
up nearly 500 acres in the lower Aire Valley for commercial development.
It is one of the largest engineering projects in the region and is expected
to create about 12,000 new jobs.
Coun Andrew Carter, executive
councillor for development, said: "This is not
just about opening up an area poorly served by existing highways and
transport, this is about creating links to the neighbouring communities of
Richmond Hill, Osmondthorpe, Halton Moor, Hunslet, Belle Isle and Middleton
and providing them with transport and training opportunities to benefit from
the thousands of jobs that are expected to be created in the Aire Valley
over the next 15 years.
"The awarding of the contract to Birse is a major step forward. The
company's skills and expertise are crucial to delivering this road and
bringing to fruition the planning and design which has gone into this
scheme."
To allow work on the road to take place, a section of Pontefract Lane, from
Thornes Farm Approach to the M1 at Junction 45, will be closed from October
30.
To see a plan
of the new road, click here
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