Fleming Way in Swindon town centre will be lowered by 3m in a £33M deal being delivered by Colas.
The project is part of a £100M regeneration scheme for Fleming Way which will also see the construction of a new bus interchange, improvements to public open spaces and the introduction of new cycle lanes.
The work to lower the road will remove the existing pedestrian subway to make the route the same level as the town centre shopping area.
Contractor Colas has already removed the road surface and has now begun to lower the road to the east of the subway. The lowering of the road to the west will be undertaken next.
Colas senior project manager Ben Power said: “We’ll be removing 30,000t of earth doing that, but we will recycle and reuse as much as possible on this project and will remove any contaminated land for disposal.
“The project will take about four months but we shall put in a level pedestrian-crossing just 10m away from the existing underpass so people will still be able to get across. It will be well-lit and perfectly safe.”
Colas has also continued work at the western end of the project installing new kerbs and paving on Holbrook Way.
Shops were demolished earlier on in the year to make way for the lowering of the road and the removal of the subway.
Fleming Way was first shut at the end of last year and current plans will see it remain closed until the autumn 2024 as part of a wider redevelopment described by Swindon Borough Council as one of the biggest regeneration schemes seen in Swindon.
The council said in a statement: “A key project will see the major upgrade and transformation of Fleming Way as the main gateway to the town centre.
“For both residents and visitors, it will improve connectivity between the train station and the town centre, creating a safer, easier to understand route through the town centre.”