A project to install traffic lights at a junction has finally been completed – nine months after work began.
Harper Lane fully reopened to drivers on Tuesday after many months of frustration from drivers and businesses.
The junction near Radlett should have reopened in February at the latest, but a blunder during the construction phase meant not enough turning space had been given to lorry drivers, which was putting pedestrians at risk.
Hertfordshire County Council and housing developer Bloor Homes have since worked together to resolve the issue, which involved removing a traffic island that was making it difficult for large vehicles to turn right out of Harper Lane and into Watling Street.
Previous story: Harper Lane shuta again after due to 'significant safety concerns'
Larger vehicles were struggling to make this turn out of Harper Lane and into Watling Street due to the placement of a new traffic island
This new design, completed this week, shows the traffic island is further back allowing more turning space for larger vehicles
A pedestrian crossing by the traffic island has also been moved after county council officers highlighted "significant safety concerns" after the junction temporarily reopened in February.
A new pedestrian crossing has now been installed across Harper Lane.
The whole junction will now be subject to a review by the council to see what impact the traffic lights have on traffic flow in the Radlett and Park Street area.
There is much more turning space now to turn into Watling Street from Harper Lane
When the idea was initially introduced in 2019, more than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for the scheme to be scrapped.
The county council refused to drop the scheme but agreed to a review.
A spokesperson for Bloor Homes said: "The current junction arrangement will be subject to six months of monitoring (commenced at a time normal traffic flows return, following Covid restrictions easing) after which time it will be made permanent or removed if unsuccessful."
The new junction at Harper Lane and Watling Street (looking towards Park Street)
New pedestrian crossing facilities in Harper Lane
The lights have been introduced as part of a planning condition Bloor Homes needed to abide by after receiving permission from St Albans District Council to build around 200 homes in Harper Lane.
The narrow bridge at the end of Harper Lane has been converted into a single file lane of traffic, along with a new walkway, which is why traffic lights have had to be installed.
The project, which began in August, was only meant to last 20 weeks, but was extended until February, and then again until the beginning of May.
The bridge in Harper Lane has been turned to single file traffic
Angry business owners in Harper Lane have called for compensation as a result of customers being put off from travelling to their sites because of the closure.
They have also criticised the communication they have received from Bloor Homes while the work has been ongoing.
See more: Hard-hit businesses react after Harper Lane is closed again
Bloor Homes said on its dedicated Harper Lane road closure website: "Bloor Homes is aware of the disruption that has been caused to residents and businesses during the necessary closure of Harper Lane and would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused."
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