Overview
- Traffic returned at 4am on Saturday, January 3, one day earlier than the original 4am Sunday, January 4 target.
- The motorway closed on December 24 for a precision box‑slide that moved the pre‑built underpass 65 metres into position beneath the carriageway.
- Engineers excavated about 24,000 cubic metres and used seven hydraulic jacks for the move, with roughly 130 workers completing around 10,000 hours during the closure.
- Pre‑existing lane restrictions and a 50mph limit remain to protect crews as phased works continue, with the underpass due to open to traffic later in 2026 and full completion targeted for winter 2026.
- Hampshire County Council led delivery with VolkerFitzpatrick and National Highways, funded by the Buckland Group and Homes England to enable the Welborne Garden Village, where only 1,160 homes can be occupied until the upgraded junction becomes operational.