(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
Drivers are set to face months of disruption on the A1(M) near Darlington with roadworks untl August 2027.
The road will be resurfaced, new safety barriers installed and signs replaced as part of ten months of works between junctions 56 and 59 near Darlington starting in November.
Work to upgrade barriers between junctions 56 at Barton and 58 at Burtree, starts on November 2 and runs until mid-May.
The hard shoulder will be closed with most work carried out during the day and some overnight work, National Highways says.
A separate scheme to resurface the hard shoulder between Burtree and 58 and junction 59 for Newton Aycliffe also starts on November 2 and runs until mid-January.
The A1(M) will be closed completely between the junctions on weekday nights from 8pm to 6am apart from during the Black Friday and Christmas periods.
During the closures, northbound traffic will be diverted from junction 58 via the A68, through Heighton, Newton Aycliffe, and the A167 before rejoining the motorway at junction 59.
Southbound traffic will follow the diversion in reverse.
Barriers between junctions 58 and 59 will then be replaced between late January to late August 2027.
The project will close the hard shoulder and narrow the lanes, with the speed limit cut to below 50mph.
Later phases will replace central reservation barriers while lane two is closed and traffic runs through narrowed lanes.
Motorists should also expect full closures while traffic management measures are installed and removed.
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The closures are expected to last two to three weeks in January and February 2027, with more planned when the scheme ends in August.
Narrow lanes and a 50mph restriction were put in place when work started in July.