The current position
Essex County Council made the decision in September 2019 to permanently close the Army and Navy Flyover after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects in its concrete foundations.
Arrangements are being made to begin the dismantling process and removal of the structure. This will be carried out in a number of phases and planned in a way that keeps disruption and inconvenience to a minimum.
Important preliminary works were completed in November 2019, with the removal of the main structure expected to start early 2020.
The process to dismantle and remove the structure requires meticulous planning. As information becomes available, further details will be shared on this webpage and with identified interested parties, local residents and businesses. Advance warning notices will also be displayed on site.
Details may be subject to change as the programme develops.
Preliminary works carried out November 2019
Important preliminary works were carried out the week of 25 November 2019 and were completed ahead of schedule, in five nights. We would like to thank residents, businesses and road users for their patience during the works.
Works were needed to carry out trial hole investigations, material testing and start the removal of electronic flyover signs, leaving the gantries in place. Temporary signage is in place to reiterate that the flyover remains closed to all traffic.
Future works
Preparations are being made to remove the main flyover structure, leaving the area in a suitable condition for any future works that are planned for the roundabout.
Clarke Demolition Company Limited has now been appointed to carry out the flyover removal, with the works expected to begin in early February 2020.
We currently anticipate that the works will be split into phases, with different road closures implemented at different times. We expect the majority of the works will be carried out overnight with some daytime works completed on Sundays. Traffic management details will be shared nearer the time, with sufficient notice to enable drivers to plan their journeys.
The project is expected to be completed in April 2020, with further details about the works schedule to be confirmed shortly.
We anticipate that either the subways or pedestrian crossing points will remain accessible throughout these works.
Further information
To read further details about our proposals for dismantling the Army and Navy Flyover, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions in the Document section of the page.
Our intention is to share updates on this webpage as details become available. Advance warning notices will be on site and information will also be shared social media posts via @essexhighways. Residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity will be contacted separately.
Details may be subject to change as the project develops, or if scheduled works are affected by poor weather or unexpected operational issues.
For information about other roadworks in the area visit one.network.
If you wish to find out more about the work being carried out by the Army and Navy Taskforce to identify the best long-term, sustainable solution for the junction visit: Army and Navy Taskforce.