Forth Replacement Crossing

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ms90
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by ms90 »

I see Transport Scotland are running a "Consultation on the M9/A90/M90 Trunk Road (Kirkliston to Halbeath) (Variable Speed Limits and Actively Managed Hard Shoulder)"

https://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/str ... 254-00.htm

Looks like the plan is to have part of the southbound M90 hardshoulder turned in to a bus lane (unless there's a red x above the lane) using this sign:
Image

Another item of note, is this is the first time I've seen the road called the "M9/A90/M90 Trunk Road (Kirkliston to Halbeath)". It's been mentioned here before, but yes, it would have been easier just to call the whole thing the M90!
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Burns
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Burns »

The hard shoulder would be better used as a running lane during busy periods. Why is Edinburghitis drifting into the Kingdom?
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michael769
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by michael769 »

I know the bus drivers will understand it to be mandatory, but should we really be conflating a sign that looks so much like the advisory limit sign with a mandatory limit?

EDIT: Actually it's not clear if it will be mandatory or not? Presumably it will only be in use when the road is busy, otherwise it would slow the buses down which seems odd....
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Glen
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Glen »

ms90 wrote:Another item of note, is this is the first time I've seen the road called the "M9/A90/M90 Trunk Road (Kirkliston to Halbeath)". It's been mentioned here before, but yes, it would have been easier just to call the whole thing the M90!
The "M9/A90/M90 Edinburgh to Fraserburgh Trunk Road" goes from Kirkliston to Fraserburgh minus the (currently) FETA section, so unless you are suggesting building a motorway from Perth to Fraserburgh, it is still going to be partly the A90 whether a small section at South Queensferry is motorway or not.
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wrinkly
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by wrinkly »

ms90 wrote:Another item of note, is this is the first time I've seen the road called the "M9/A90/M90 Trunk Road (Kirkliston to Halbeath)".
It's the first time I've heard of it. The last I heard, the M9 spur was still non-trunk. Presumably the Act for the new crossing has trunked the M9 spur and perhaps also detrunked the A90 towards Edinburgh.
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Glen
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Glen »

wrinkly wrote:It's the first time I've heard of it. The last I heard, the M9 spur was still non-trunk. Presumably the Act for the new crossing has trunked the M9 spur and perhaps also detrunked the A90 towards Edinburgh.
The current trunk roads list is dated April 2011, so it's been trunk since at least then. The last I heard was that the A90 between FETA and the M90 wasn't trunk either, so it all must have been trunked as part of of the bridge project.

The A90 is trunk as far as here at Dalmeny, I don't know if it ever was trunk south of the bridge.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by ferrybloke »

I live in South Queensferry and was travelling along the M9 spur the other day and noticed some new roadsigns erected in preparation for the FRC (about 4 years early!).

In the M9 -> A90 direction, there's a sign directing traffic for the Rosyth ferry terminal to leave at "M90 J1B" - I presume that M90 J1B will be the redesigned Ferrytoll Junction. There's also a mileage sign listing distances, titled "M90". Does this indicate that the M9 spur will become the M90 ?

However, in the other direction, there's two signs listing distances to various places along the M8 and M9. The signs in the A90 -> M9 direction are titled "M9", not "M90" like the similar sign in the other direction.

Curious to discover if the spur is being renumbered and where M90 J1, J1A and J1B will be. Anyone know?
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by matt-thepie »

There's also a mileage sign listing distances, titled "M90". Does this indicate that the M9 spur will become the M90 ?

However, in the other direction, there's two signs listing distances to various places along the M8 and M9. The signs in the A90 -> M9 direction are titled "M9", not "M90" like the similar sign in the other direction.

Curious to discover if the spur is being renumbered and where M90 J1, J1A and J1B will be. Anyone know?
In true M90 style they could always call it (M9) in one direction and (M90) in the other ;-)

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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Gav »

I drove the spur the other day just out of nosyness - It looks like they are preparing the hardshoulder for future running with the signs being put up - they have space provided for information above the hardshoulder. I think I saw two or three overhead gantries being put up.

I dont think the M9 spur will be redesignated the M90. It will continue to the the M9. They are also significantly on with the groundworks around the M9 and spur junction. Will be good to see that finally a full access interchange - it should have been that from day one !
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Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Haydn1971 »

Will this be the first managed D2M ?
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si404
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by si404 »

ferrybloke wrote:Curious to discover if the spur is being renumbered and where M90 J1, J1A and J1B will be. Anyone know?
There's to be a gap in the motorway between Scotstoun (A90/M9 Spur) and Queensferry (A904) - discussed upthread.

That said, it looks like, if they want you to take Ferrytoll for the port (it would make more sense, somewhat, if it's Admiralty), and it's going to be J1B that J1 will be Scotstoun.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by ferrybloke »

Interestingly, the traffic scotland (www.trafficscotland.org) live cameras on the new gantries on the M9 spur are active (was using them tonight to see the chaos from a fluid spill on the Forth Road Bridge). Aside from the fact that the cameras are shown to be on the railway line, the map labels the spur as M90!
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by tractorman »

Was trawling the web the other night and found a selection of photos of the caissons for two of the towers of the new crossing arriving in the Firth of Forth:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robert5501 ... 696408114/

I understand, from a friend who is involved with the project, that one of these is due to be positioned this week and the other next week.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Stevie D »

michael769 wrote:Actually it's not clear if it will be mandatory or not? Presumably it will only be in use when the road is busy, otherwise it would slow the buses down which seems odd....
I would imagine that the logic is along the lines of...

Having buses thundering past stationary traffic in the next lane to the right while doing 50mph could be dangerous. Reducing the speed limit to 40mph would not add significantly to the journey time over that distance if buses were able to maintain a steady speed, and would still give a considerable advantage over not having a bus lane at all. So having a 40mph limit is a good compromise on speed and safety.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Halmyre »

Stevie D wrote:
michael769 wrote:Actually it's not clear if it will be mandatory or not? Presumably it will only be in use when the road is busy, otherwise it would slow the buses down which seems odd....
I would imagine that the logic is along the lines of...

Having buses thundering past stationary traffic in the next lane to the right while doing 50mph could be dangerous. Reducing the speed limit to 40mph would not add significantly to the journey time over that distance if buses were able to maintain a steady speed, and would still give a considerable advantage over not having a bus lane at all. So having a 40mph limit is a good compromise on speed and safety.
An even better compromise on speed and safety would be to have all three lanes open to all traffic but excluding HGVs from the outside lane.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Burns »

ferrybloke wrote:Interestingly, the traffic scotland (http://www.trafficscotland.org) live cameras on the new gantries on the M9 spur are active (was using them tonight to see the chaos from a fluid spill on the Forth Road Bridge). Aside from the fact that the cameras are shown to be on the railway line, the map labels the spur as M90!
I drove the M9 Spur on the way home earlier and the new northbound mileage sign tells you you're on the M90. I wish there was a safe place to photograph it.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Enceladus »

It's great to see work really getting under way on the new Firth of Forth crossing. :) Scotland is really showing England and Wales up in terms of investing in new strategic road infrastructure.
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FurryBoots
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by FurryBoots »

Haydn1971 wrote:Will this be the first managed D2M ?
Just saw this comment and it got me thinking.

As noted earlier in the thread, approximately 1.5 miles between the end of the M90 and the beginning of the M9 spur will not be motorway. This section will (as far as I'm aware) be managed. Will this be the first albeit small section of managed road that is not a motorway?
m80
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by m80 »

FurryBoots wrote:
Haydn1971 wrote:Will this be the first managed D2M ?
Just saw this comment and it got me thinking.

As noted earlier in the thread, approximately 1.5 miles between the end of the M90 and the beginning of the M9 spur will not be motorway. This section will (as far as I'm aware) be managed. Will this be the first albeit small section of managed road that is not a motorway?
No. The Glasgow Southern Orbital from the M77 to East Kilbride is managed, by Connect.
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Re: Forth Replacement Crossing

Post by Glen »

Managed means traffic management, as in gantry mounted lane controls and variable speed limits.
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