A35 Sinkhole

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SteveA30
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A35 Sinkhole

Post by SteveA30 »

What started as a bad pothole was repaired then, sank more than usual. Now w/bnd is closed. Officially from Bere Regis via Wool then A352 to Dorchester bypass. In real life, it is closed from the Troy Town* turn to the end of the D2, along the parallel old A35 over Yellowham Hill, as logic would suggest. Traffic maps don't show any heavy traffic on the unrealistic route but, some orange along the old route.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-57084069

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/19296 ... place-a35/
This shows the ridiculousness of the diversion route compared to the old A35, which is barely visible on that map in the link.


* not a town or even a village. 4 houses noted on my visit this morning.
Attachments
Nature has narrowed the road gradually - 8.34am
Nature has narrowed the road gradually - 8.34am
The centre of Troy Town - 9.57am
The centre of Troy Town - 9.57am
10.54am
10.54am
Last edited by SteveA30 on Wed May 12, 2021 15:48, edited 6 times in total.
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solocle
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by solocle »

I drove eastbound last night... I'll have to look at the footage!
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RichardA35
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by RichardA35 »

I am informed we can expect the strategic diversion to be implemented from some time today to remove traffic from the bypassed routes by closing the A35 and all westbound on-slips from Bere Regis to Troy Town to funnel all traffic down to the A352.
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solocle
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by solocle »

RichardA35 wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 15:07 I am informed we can expect the strategic diversion to be implemented from some time today to remove traffic from the bypassed routes by closing the A35 and all westbound on-slips from Bere Regis to Troy Town to funnel all traffic down to the A352.
Google Maps and council/HE maps are showing that as already implemented. I might nip down this evening on my bike for a gander :laugh:
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Truvelo
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by Truvelo »

Because both ends of Yellowham Hill join the A35 at GSJ's logic would suggest making Yellowham Hill temporarily one way to allow diverted traffic the shortest possible route rather than having to use the circuitous A352. Locals in Troytown would face a slightly longer journey if heading from Dorchester but the majority would be inconvenienced less than the few. Common sense really but we all know members of the public working in all levels of government don't understand the meaning of common sense.
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RichardA35
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by RichardA35 »

Heavy traffic on A352 already!
PXL_20210512_141415588.jpg
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Chris Bertram
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by Chris Bertram »

RichardA35 wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 15:43 Heavy traffic on A352 already!PXL_20210512_141415588.jpg
You are SteveA30 and I claim my £5.
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SteveA30
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by SteveA30 »

Nice to have help in my work..... Contributions always appreciated. :) Broadmayne Post Office, a pinchpoint on a normal day.

I do still have a vacancy for Shap. An ability to drop everything and rush to the A6 at short notice. Also, to cover planned overnight closures. A willingness to stay on the summit layby all night in the teeth of a howling gale (probably) is essential. Ideally Lancs or Cumbria based. Will be known as 'name'A6
Last edited by SteveA30 on Wed May 12, 2021 16:09, edited 3 times in total.
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Truvelo
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by Truvelo »

The A352 photo with the lorry shows what a farcical joke the whole diversion is. The photo of Yellowham Hill shows the lorries have more space and aren't trundling through villages which are reduced to S1 by parked cars. Like I said in my last post, common sense has gone out the window :@
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by SteveA30 »

Considering returning to see if the Diversion signs put out for Troy Town are still there. I guess they should be as A354 traffic still comes down from Blandford. Despite these well placed signs, one or two managed to turn on to the e/bnd A35, at both ends of the old road, caravans and even lorries..... :roll: :laugh: Shurely shome mishtake.....
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solocle
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by solocle »

SteveA30 wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 16:03 Considering returning to see if the Diversion signs put out for Troy Town are still there. I guess they should be as A354 traffic still comes down from Blandford. Despite these well placed signs, one or two managed to turn on to the e/bnd A35, at both ends of the old road, caravans and even lorries..... :roll: :laugh: Shurely shome mishtake.....
It's all still there.
8CCDDDDC-8AEF-46AA-A1E7-551FDD9DFEF9.jpeg
SteveA30
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by SteveA30 »

I did go back to look. The A354 traffic is still going via Troy Town but obviously far less than when A35 traffic went that way as well this morning. Best bit....A354 traffic is sent into Puddletown to the lights, turn right then out to the Troy Town junction, instead of the 1 mile of D2 you took the photo on. The cones are all there, the signs, a van with flashing lights parked at the junction and no traffic. All because the category was changed from Unplanned to Planned, ie Roadworks. Radio 2 stopped mentioning it after it became Planned. No work has been done today so, it will be tomorrow as well, perhaps longer.

Does anyone in the business know how the hole will be dealt with? Filled with Concrete? I guess they are ahem, looking into it.

Odd that apparently, no-one thinks to intervene re. the diversion routes. It is an automated system that can't be touched or adjusted in any way it seems. The uncomprehending folk of Bere Regis, Wool and Broadmayne will be wondering why there is so much traffic there, queueing at the level crossing in Wool, the PO pinchpoint in Broadmayne and also Puddletown traffic lights. All that compared to 4 houses in Troy Town. Glad I went when I did. Almost as rare as the old A38 down Haldon Hill.

Algorithms rule apparently.
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by SteveA30 »

3 more of 56 on a the second shortest div route I've been on.
As usual, I helped a lost soul. A lady stopped at the layby to ask how to get to Dorchester market. I soon put her mind to rest with simple guidance. Follow the traffic.*
A farmer asked me if i was lost when I was standing in his yard. We chatted amiably and he revealed that sinkholes often appear in the forest.

* Not always though, if one goes the wrong way, the next few follow like sheep, until someone who can think for themselves or has local knowledge, takes the correct route, then the sheep follow them.
Attachments
9.01am
9.01am
9.59am
9.59am
10.23am Road markings removed from this S2 plus layby
10.23am Road markings removed from this S2 plus layby
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A9NWIL
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by A9NWIL »

SteveA30 wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 14:23 What started as a bad pothole was repaired then, sank more than usual. Now w/bnd is closed. Officially from Bere Regis via Wool then A352 to Dorchester bypass. In real life, it is closed from the Troy Town* turn to the end of the D2, along the parallel old A35 over Yellowham Hill, as logic would suggest. Traffic maps don't show any heavy traffic on the unrealistic route but, some orange along the old route.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-57084069

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/19296 ... place-a35/
This shows the ridiculousness of the diversion route compared to the old A35, which is barely visible on that map in the link.


* not a town or even a village. 4 houses noted on my visit this morning.
So right near Tolpuddle, where the first martyrs of the trade union movement were from.
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SteveA30
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by SteveA30 »

Fairly near. Puddletown is nearer.
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RichardA35
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by RichardA35 »

SteveA30 wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 21:13 Does anyone in the business know how the hole will be dealt with? Filled with Concrete? I guess they are ahem, looking into it.
It was over 20 years ago but IIRC the method for dealing with them was to:
1. expose the ground around the perimeter of the sinkhole to understand its dimensions
2. remove loose material down to about 0.5m
3. If small diameter (<0.5mIIRC), fill void with sub-base, compact and pave over.
4. If larger diameter, fill void as above but cast concrete capping slab to span the void, allow to cure and then pave over.
So depending upon a little investigation and probing I would expect to see the blacktop broken back and about a few days' work to put everything back together. Whether the contractual arrangements and the will exist to make it happen is, of course, unknown.
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solocle
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by solocle »

Image Image Image Image Image Image Image
The full set of photos I took at full quality.
Capture1.PNG
The return leg on the old A35 was very quiet in both directions.
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by Micro The Maniac »

Maybe I'm being stupid, but...

The A35 here is a dual carriageway, yes?

So why on earth can't they just put in a 100 yard (or so) contraflow past the scene, with a temporary speed limit if necessary?

I appreciate that the reality would need three weeks advance preparations to install the two miles of SPECS monitored lower limit first...
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RichardA35
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by RichardA35 »

Micro The Maniac wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 09:24 Maybe I'm being stupid, but...

The A35 here is a dual carriageway, yes?

So why on earth can't they just put in a 100 yard (or so) contraflow past the scene, with a temporary speed limit if necessary?

I appreciate that the reality would need three weeks advance preparations to install the two miles of SPECS monitored lower limit first...
Speed limit is a minor worry. If there are no hardened crossovers (which there aren't) how are they going to magically appear? TBH your first sentence is probably correct🙂
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Re: A35 Sinkhole

Post by A303Chris »

Micro The Maniac wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 09:24 Maybe I'm being stupid, but...

The A35 here is a dual carriageway, yes?

So why on earth can't they just put in a 100 yard (or so) contraflow past the scene, with a temporary speed limit if necessary?

I appreciate that the reality would need three weeks advance preparations to install the two miles of SPECS monitored lower limit first...
Like going through Troy Town, that is the common sense approach so is beyond the ability of civil servants to fathom out
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