The £1.5bn project that will transform journeys between East Anglia, the midlands and north of England reaches its half way point this week.

East Anglian Daily Times: Up to 2,700 staff are working on the project on most days. Picture; HIGHWAYS ENGLANDUp to 2,700 staff are working on the project on most days. Picture; HIGHWAYS ENGLAND (Image: Archant)

Main construction on a project to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon started in November 2016 and is on target to be completed by December 2020.

The improved road should remove a notorious bottleneck on the main route between the port of Felixstowe and many of its customers – but the work has delayed drivers.

Since work started, more than eight million working hours have gone into the project, and eight million cubic metres of earthworks have been moved across the site.

Nine new bridges will have opened to traffic by the end of the year and construction is well underway on 25 more. Along the way, the project team has started delivering extensive protection for the environment and uncovered astonishing archaeological finds which shine new light on thousands of years of history.

East Anglian Daily Times: The new road is taking shape at its junction with the A1 at Huntingdon. Picture; HIGHWAYS ENGLANDThe new road is taking shape at its junction with the A1 at Huntingdon. Picture; HIGHWAYS ENGLAND (Image: Archant)

Highways England Project Director David Bray said: “Our amazing team has been working incredibly hard to deliver this upgraded A14, and most days we have up to 2,700 staff working across more than 20 miles to build the new roads and bridges that are needed.

“This is the biggest road building project currently taking place in the country and yet drivers will only see around a quarter of it from the existing road at present.

“We know drivers can be frustrated by roadworks, particularly when they’re in place for a long time, but we’re delighted to announce at this two-year anniversary that we’re on time and on budget, having completed more than 50 per cent of the work, to get this new road opened for drivers by the end of 2020.”

The project team has worked hard to keep traffic flowing through the roadworks, leaving all lanes open to traffic during the day, with extra restrictions, when needed, in place overnight and at weekends.

East Anglian Daily Times: The new bridge at Swavesey in Cambridgeshire. Picture: HIGHWAYS ENGLANDThe new bridge at Swavesey in Cambridgeshire. Picture: HIGHWAYS ENGLAND (Image: Archant)

In recent weeks, a new bridge over the A14 at Swavesey has opened to traffic, and an old bridge demolished.

Two massive new bridges at Bar Hill at the Cambridge end of the route were also moved into place during a weekend operation in September, having been pre-fabricated next to the A14.