THE long-awaited full opening of a new roundabout near Upton-Upon-Severn is not far away.
Worcestershire County Council has confirmed the new roundabout at the A38 and A4104 is expected to be fully finished this autumn.
The 18-month project, originally approved back in February last year, has seen the old staggered crossroads at the junction replaced with an all-new four-arm roundabout.
Work has been going on at the site since last July, with the final touches still to be added in the coming weeks including new street lights, drainage and footpaths on the approach.
A council spokesperson said: "Works on the scheme to construct the new four-arm roundabout at the A38/A4104 junction near Upton are progressing very well.
READ MORE: Traffic spotted on new Upton roundabout for the first time
"Following the transfer of traffic onto the roundabout, works have continued on the A38 and A4104 to ensure smooth links between the old and new road surfaces.
"Works are also taking place on the removal of the existing A38 splitter island and the installation of new drainage, streetlighting, kerbing and signage.
"Landscaping and final surfacing works will then be undertaken on the roundabout and approaches, with the scheme scheduled for completion this autumn."
The pavements on the Pershore side of the roundabout have not been completed, and drainage ditches are still being dug on both sides of the road.
When this is completed, the surfacing on the roads and pavements will be matched up as work finishes.
July this year saw the first vehicles travel over the roundabout since it was installed.
READ MORE: Iron Age settlement discovered at Upton roundabout site
New aerial photos showed how the site had changed during the work.
The roundabout is expected to make the notorious crash spot safer for motorists and improve journey times.
The multi-million-pound scheme had to be halted briefly in December last year when an Iron-Age settlement was discovered under the site.
The site was first spotted on aerial photos and an initial investigation to find out more was carried out in late 2020.
It revealed pottery which indicated that the site was a Middle Iron Age settlement, with an unusually large ditched enclosure at its heart.
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