Overview
- The majority of the 4.2 km Kex Gill realignment, which opened on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, is carrying traffic on two of three lanes under a temporary 30 mph speed limit.
- The scheme was built to remove traffic from a section of the old A59 that suffered 15 landslips since 2000 and more than £6 million in repair costs, reducing the risk of repeated closures.
- North Yorkshire Council delivered its largest ever highways project in a remote location with contractor Sisk Infrastructure and named councillor Malcolm Taylor and engineer Lauren Luck among those involved.
- Environmental and active‑travel features were included across the site, with more than 12,700 native trees planted, wildflower areas, balancing ponds, new routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and four kilometres of natural stone walls.
- Final tie‑ins, landscaping and the completion of the third lane including the crawler lane will follow, and the new route is expected to improve east–west connections between Harrogate and Skipton and the wider corridor from M6 J31 to A1(M) J47.