IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Minerva Heights, SWINDON, SN26 8AD

Progress is being made on the major road-building project scheduled for completion by the end of 2008. This is a view facing towards the north-west towards Gloucestershire.

This is a wider view of the by-pass route just north of Lady Lane.

Taken the day after this one http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/865942 on the day the north-bound carriageway opened to traffic. Progress has been made in the last 24 hours in surfacing the south-bound carriageway.

Progress has been fairly rapid in the few weeks since this image was taken http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/792913 to the extent that the north-bound carriageway is expected to be opened to traffic tomorrow. Work on the south-bound carriageway, to the right, is still in progress.

This major project will route the strategic south-north A419 round the village of Blunsdon when completed in 2008. At present the road passes through Blunsdon effectively cutting it in two. This view is to the north-west. The village is on a hill overlooking the Thames valley. In the middle distance is the small Wiltshire town of Cricklade and beyond that lies Gloucestershire. This and several other photos of the by-pass project can be seen in this gallery: http://www.geograph.org.uk/gallery/the_construction_of_the_blunsdon_bypass_2006_to_2009_10672

The north-bound carriageway is to the left. It is virtually complete and will open tomorrow. The view is not directly comparable to this one http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/622907 because the viewpoint in that image no longer exists except as a point in mid-air.

Taken on the day the north-bound carriageway opened for traffic, this telephoto image shows work continuing on the south-bound equivalent. This will take longer to complete probably because of the complexity of the work necessary to take the by-pass through the Turnpike junction behind the viewpoint.

Twenty-fours on from when this one http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/865952 was taken and the north-bound carriageway is open traffic. Now attention will be concentrated on the south-bound carriageway.

This image may be compared with this one http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/622907 taken five months ago. Saplings have been planted and road surfacing is in progress. A bridge has also been constructed.