WATCH: View of M27 after it reopens following 10 days of closure
A video shows traffic flowing freely on the recently opened M27 after it was closed over the festive period.
The motorway reopened a day early at 4am on Saturday (January 3) after being shut between junctions 9 and 11 after a 10-day closure.
Hampshire County Council said it was “an extraordinary achievement after one of the most complex engineering operations Hampshire has ever delivered”.
In a statement the council said: “Over the previous ten days, around 130 people worked day and night through the Christmas period, contributing a combined 10,000 hours to install a brand‑new underpass at Junction 10 using an innovative ‘box slide’ technique.
“A 60‑metre concrete structure, weighing 8,500 tonnes was slid 65 metres into place with millimetre precision, avoiding months of lane closures and disruption.
“The team worked continuously, day and night, from Christmas Eve until 3 January to complete this major operation safely and efficiently.
“A big thank you to everyone for your patience while this essential construction work took place.”
The installation of the new underpass paves the way for Junction 10 to be made into an ‘all ways’ junction - meaning you can enter and exit in both directions. Currently this is only possible in one direction.
The works have been prompted by the construction of the new 6,000-home town at Welborne Garden Village where construction is new underway and the first homes sold.