A section of the M20 will be closed overnight to allow work to commence to ensure the motorway can be turned into a car park in the event of post-Brexit queues.
A temporary steel barrier is being installed to allow lorries travelling to the continent to be held on the coastbound carriageway of the M20 in the event of disruption.
The barrier, which is part of Operation Brock, the planned traffic management system in the event of a no-deal Brexit, is set to be completed by mid-March.
The current system, which is in place for when lorries have to queue due to disruption to rail or ferry services, results in sections of the motorway being closed causing significant chaos to local commuters.
The new steel barrier will however work alongside a contraflow system with the intention of minimising the impact on people travelling within Kent.
From 12 February there will be a 50mph speed limit on the motorway as well as narrow lanes as the work is carried out.
Highways England, the government-owned company which operates motorways and major A-roads, said it would be a “significant improvement”.
Jim O’Sullivan, the organisation’s chief executive, said the road would be kept open in “all but the most extreme circumstances".
“The steps we are putting in place on the M20 are based on our extensive experience of working with partners to keep the road network in this region operating safely and reliably,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“They incorporate the lessons learned from our experience of Operation Stack in 2015 and techniques from our major construction schemes in other parts of the country.
“They will make a significant difference to reducing the congestion and disruption to both the M20 itself and the wider road network and people of Kent," he added.
