The junction, south of Toddington services, is part of a new £161 million link road between the A5 and the M1 that will help to unlock growth and reduce congestion in the Dunstable area.
Highways England project manager Karen Green said: “This junction is a vital part of this significant road improvement. The new link road will be a major new bypass for Dunstable, reducing congestion and improving safety on the A5, and reducing pressure on the A5 through Dunstable town centre.”
The construction work will entail roadworks on the M1 between junctions 11 and 12 but disruption to traffic would be kept to a minimum, she added.
Once completed in spring 2017, the link road, a new 2.8 mile dual carriageway, will improve the east-west connection between the A5 and M1. Earlier this year, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin attended the official start of works ceremony for the £162.1 million scheme.
Roads Minister Andrew Jones said: “As part of our long-term economic plan, we are committed to the biggest investment in roads in a generation.
“It is vital we use our transport infrastructure to create jobs and make it easier for people to see their family and friends.
“The £2 billion we are investing in the East of England will ease congestion and make journeys quicker across the region, as well as creating an estimated 1,000 construction jobs.”
While the new junction is being built, lane 3 on the M1 will be closed between junctions 11 and 12 in both directions. Three lanes will remain open, with traffic running on the hard shoulder and lanes 1 and 2.
The roadworks will stay in place throughout the junction construction work, which will be carried out in phases and should be finished in spring 2017 as the scheme nears completion.
The roadworks will be installed overnight between June 17 and June 22, using temporary lane closures and a reduced 50mph speed limit.
Work will start on the northbound carriageway, before moving to the southbound carriageway.
