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A249 Key Street junction

We have been awarded £38.1million from the Housing and Infrastructure Fund to deliver highway improvements at two junctions of the A249 to the west of Sittingbourne:

The scheme to improve the A249 Key Street junction will see better walking and cycling provision and the relocation of the existing A249 southbound entry slip lane, to improve roundabout capacity.

Improvements to Key Street roundabout will include:

  • the closure of the existing A249 southbound exit slip road and the redirection of southbound traffic along Chestnut Street
  • the addition of a lane at the Chestnut Street roundabout arm
  • an additional left turn lane on the A2 Key Street arm approach
  • various capacity and safety improvements to the Keycol Hill arm
  • the installation of a new toucan crossing on the Sheppey Way roundabout arm to provide a safe crossing for pedestrians and cyclists.

Scheme cost

The £38.6m scheme costs for both Key Street and Grovehurst Road is funded by £38.1 million from the Housing Infrastructure Fund Grant along with £900,000 of developer contributions.

Scheme documents

Due to the congestion on the roads, we as the local authority highway and Highways England are dedicated to improving the safety in this area of development.

The improvement scheme will increase capacity on the road network, and provide the infrastructure needed for the housing plans in Swale’s adopted local plan to be delivered. The housing plans consist of 4,628 new homes planned on the A249 corridor from the junction with the M2 to the Isle of Sheppey.

Formal decision

The approval to progress the scheme was taken by Kent County Council on 27 April 2020.

In Kent, we are responsible for all public roads excluding motorways and trunk roads. The M2 and A249 are maintained and managed by National Highways.

All Traffic Management for the scheme is subject to approval by KCC Streetworks and National Highways.

Timescales

Key dates for Key Street are:

  • detailed design documents issued - completed May 2023
  • procurement - winter 2023
  • construction of Chestnut Street roundabout providing access to the Wises lane development  (by others) - July 2024 to January 2025
  • contract award - August 2024
  • commence works - October 2024
  • next stage of site clearance - October 2024
  • works to A2 Key Street junction starting - October/November 2024
  • works to Chestnust Street and the A249 SB entry Slip road starting - February 2025
  • works completed - autumn 2025.

Email GrovehurstRoad@jackson-civils.co.uk to contact us or give feedback about this scheme.

Funded by

The government Growth Deal provides money to the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, funding projects which drive Kent’s economic and business growth.