The £32 million project creating a two-and-a-half mile stretch of road between Haughley and Stowmarket should be finished by mid-September.

Engineers are about to start work linking the new stretch of road to the existing A14. It will mean lane closures at weekends and a temporary 40mph speed limit.

"We have made good progress but we are now at a stage where we have got to tie in the new road to the old road and that is going to mean some disruption," said Mike Povey, project manager for the Highways Agency.

"I do sympathise with motorists about the delays that will be caused – but it is inevitable.

"By limiting it to weekends when traffic is lighter, these delays will be minimised."

From July 18 to September 2, for six weekends, excluding the August Bank Holiday weekend, the road will be reduced to one lane each way.

A temporary 40mph speed limit will apply from July 14 until the works are completed.

The existing road, known as the Haughley bends, carries 40,000 vehicles a day, a fifth of which are HGVS, and already operates a 50mph restriction. Once completed, the new stretch of the A14 will operate at the national speed limit.

"The whole driver behind this scheme is the safety issue. We have quite a poor accident record on this stretch of road," said Mr Povey.

"It is a £32 million scheme but the saving of accidents and the benefits to journey time means it is a very worthwhile scheme."

Once completed, part of the old stretch of road will be landscaped into an area for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, while the remainder will provide a road from Haughley New Street to Stowmarket.

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