The Blackwall Tunnel will close southbound for three nights this week ahead of another weekend closure.
TfL said the closure from 11pm to 5am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday was needed for works on a new road layout for the new Silvertown Tunnel.
The Blackwall Tunnel will also be closed between Saturday June 29 to Monday, July 1.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We need to close the Blackwall Tunnel to southbound traffic on a number of weekends and overnight.
“This is for work on a new road layout on the A102, as part of the Silvertown Tunnel Project.”
The controversial 1.4km Silvertown Tunnel route connecting Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula is set to open in 2025.
After that, TfL plans to introduce tolls for both the Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels.
Critics say the scheme will increase pollution during a climate crisis, but the Mayor’s office says it will be a vital link across the Thames to East London.
Transport chiefs warn the closure of the Blackwall Tunnel means motorists face busier waits at other river crossings.
A spokesperson said: “We expect roads and alternative river crossings in east and central London to be extremely busy with long delays to your journey.
“Queues along the A13 westbound between Canning Town and Whitechapel and on the approaches to Rotherhithe Tunnel throughout the weekend are expected.”
