THE completion of a £10m revamp of the East Riding's busiest road has been delayed by the coldest Easter in 50 years.
East Riding Council – proud of its flagship project aimed at cutting congestion on the A164 – says the road will still open in spring as planned.
But it is understood cold night time temperatures have hampered resurfacing work.
So instead of being finished this month, work will continue until at least May.
One contractor, who asked not to be named, said: "It will be finished in about six weeks, there's a big push on it now.
"The problem has been the night-time temperatures have meant you can't do resurfacing at night."
When the project initially got under way on May 8 last year, it was set to take 47 weeks. That should have meant finishing in the first week of April.
Notices were erected at the side of the road telling people when the work would be completed.
Now the roadside signs, visible both on the approach from the Humber Bridge side and from the Beverley side, say the work is entering its "final phase".
The council has not been willing to give a month for when the work will be finished.
In a released statement, Nigel Leighton, director of environment and neighbourhood services at East Riding Council, said: "The council has always anticipated that the £10m Humber Bridge to Beverley Route Improvement Scheme, along the A164, would be completed in the spring and within budget, and the contractor is now working on the final phase of the project."
Pressed for an exact end date, a council spokesman said: "In spite of the inclement weather since the start of the year, works along the A164 are progressing as planned."
The £10m scheme, to which the council is contributing £2.3m, has included the construction of a dual carriageway between Willerby and Cottingham – one of the most congested sections of the route.
Four roundabouts along the route are being reconfigured and a continuous cycle route installed.
As well as improving the area's traffic infrastructure and cutting bottlenecks, the A164 scheme has been a boost for local jobs.
Now the financial go-ahead has also been given for Beverley's £22m southern bypass it seems the good economic news will continue.
East Riding Council says land clearance work has already been completed for that scheme.
As sub-contractors finish work on the A164 job, work should be coming available on the bypass.
Work will start this summer on the 1.8-mile bypass route, for completion in January 2015.
Council leader Councillor Stephen Parnaby has described the transport infrastructure of the East Riding as a "major asset".
He has been a particular champion of the A164 project, seeing it as a vital artery for business.
As work got under way, he said: "It's the direct route to the Humber Bridge, it's the direct route to the motorways and this upgrade is well overdue. This desperately-needed scheme will reduce congestion, improve journey times and improve road safety for thousands of travellers every day."
Business leaders have been unanimous in welcoming the A164 upgrade.
Beverley and District Chamber of Trade said it would get people and businesses moving and make more deliveries possible in a day, a tangible improvement for businesses.
Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce said spending on transport generated wealth and prosperity because people need to move goods.
