Options for long-awaited M54 link road to M6 are thrown into the ring
For the drivers often left twiddling their thumbs in seemingly never-ending traffic jams, it's long overdue.
And finally, the much-talked-about link road between the M54, M6 and M6 Toll has moved a step closer to reality with three route proposals up for consultation.
The Highways Agency says all three options will meet community, investment and road users' needs.
Councillor Peter Bilson, Wolverhampton's regeneration boss, said today that the new road would provide a huge boost for the region.
"It will take significant amounts of work and resources but the benefits in terms of over all economic boosts and help to local businesses will be huge," he said.
"It indicates what vision and investment in infrastructure can achieve. It will also do a lot to relieve traffic stress for motorists, the benefits of which speaks for itself.
"This stretch of motorway is one of the busiest in the UK and Europe and improvements will be welcomed by businesses and motorists in equal measure."
Of the three choices, Option A is the cheapest, while B comes in with the biggest bill.
Option A would put a 1.5 mile link road between the M54 junction 1 Featherstone and M6 junction 11 Cannock/Wolverhampton, bypassing the villages of Featherstone and Shareshill, and be sited to the west of Hilton Hall. On the west side of the M6 there would be no access from the existing A460 to M6 junction 11.
This arm of junction 11 would be used for the new road and move through-traffic on to the link road.
There would be a single junction on the new road to allow local traffic to access the link road from this section of the A460 via Hilton Lane.
Option B would provide a new road between M54 Junction 1 and the M6 and M6 Toll, which would then link directly with the M6, north of junction 11 and with the M6 Toll at junction T8.
The link would follow the same route as Option A, bypassing the villages of Featherstone and Shareshill, and be sited to the west of Hilton Hall.
The additional link would take the roads total length to approximately 2.2 miles.
M6 junction 11 would be unchanged by this option with local access to the M6 and M6 Toll remaining the same.
It is also believed that Options A and B would prove slightly faster routes for motorists to take than the third choice available.
Option C would widen the M54 from Junction 1 to the M6, providing extra capacity through one additional traffic lane in each direction.
New slip roads would be constructed at M6 junction 10a for Wolverhampton and Telford M54 to provide links to and from the M6 north and the A460 would cross the M6 on a new bridge, linking in to the A462 and Wolverhampton Road, with a new local road provided to Saredon Road for local destinations north or east.
The existing hard shoulder would be converted to a fourth traffic lane between M6 junction 10a and 11.
Access roads to Hilton Park Services would be modified as part of the scheme, with access to the services maintained throughout construction.
M6 junction 11 would be demolished and replaced by a new junction 11 further north, linking to the M6 Toll junction T8.
The distance between M54 junction 1 and M6 Toll junction T8 would come to 3.4 miles.
As the three choices are put up for public consultation, a councillor for Featherstone, which would be affected no matter what outcome is decided, has urged people to think of the bigger picture.
South Staffordshire councillor Robert Cope said: "For us locally this is still needed but the option that gets chosen is so important.
"I am not in favour of options A and B, they will have an effect on Hilton Village and will also affect three grade 1 listed buildings in Hilton Park.
"Option B will create a flyover across the A460 which will then affect residents of Shareshill, who will suffer from noise issues.
"Myself and everyone at South Staffordshire Council are in favour of Option C.
"This will have the least affect on the environment and cause the least trouble for local residents.
"We do badly need to relieve traffic but it is important to think of how the work will affect people.
"There is a thought that Options A and B are the quickest but the difference will be minimal.
"Ultimately, the decision will be made by the Government but I hope they bear in mind the issues that will arise through this consultation."
People can complete an on-line questionnaire on the scheme website - highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m54-to-m6m6-toll-link-road/ - or submit comments to the M54 to M6/M6 Toll project team at The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN.
Alternatively they can email M54toM6/M6tolllinkroad@highways.gsi.gov.uk
The consultation ends on January 30, 2015.