The bottom of Holloway Road will be closed for three weeks over Christmas while the Highbury Corner bridge is demolished – and Overground services will also be affected.
Transport bosses say they are “taking advantage of the quiet Christmas period” to rebuild the structure supporting the road.
That means Highbury Corner, from Digswell Street to the roundabout, will be shut in both directions between December 18 and January 8.
Highbury and Islington station will be open as normal, but Overground services will not be running for eight days from December 23 to 30. During that period there will be no East London line between Highbury and Islington and Dalston Junction, and no North London line between Camden Road and Stratford. Weekend closures on the lines will run into February.
Preparation for the bridge work will take place during working hours on December 18 to 22 but TfL said after that it will be a 24-hour operation in order to get it done as quickly as possible.
Businesses in the area will be open as usual and transport chiefs will be speaking to traders about the works in the coming days.
Town hall transport chief Cllr Claudia Webbe said the work was essential as the bridge is more than 150 years old.
“TfL has consulted us about the work, and has previously publicised that a road closure over Christmas would be necessary,” she said. “We will monitor the work and continue to challenge TfL to keep disruption to a minimum.”
Bus routes 43, 271, 393 and N41 will be on diversion, the 263 will start and finish at the Nag’s Head, and the 277 will be on diversion eastbound from December 22 to January 2.
Two bus stops – stop A northbound and stop B southbound – have been moved further up Holloway Road and cyclists will have an alternative route via Liverpool Road signposted.
Three Arsenal home fixtures will take place during the road works. Despite none of them taking place during the closure of the Overground lines, fans have been advised to avoid using Highbury and Islington to get to The Emirates.
They are all 7.45pm kick-offs – West Ham in the Carabao Cup on December 19, Liverpool on Friday, December 22, and Chelsea on Wednesday, January 3.
TfL said changes to walking routes to The Emirates will stay in place but fans travelling between Upper Street and Holloway Road after games may need to walk around the roundabout.
The project to replace a decaying section of the bridge has been going on since 2015. The road layout changes frequently as contractors shift pipes and cables.
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