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B9127 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 22, 2018 19:42
10 Years from Public Inquiry and still not open -is that a record
Depends, I guess. Are there any road projects that went to public inquiry that then didn't get built?
Oh god yes. The M650 Bingley Bypass went to public inquiry in the 70s and was never built.
You could also consider that the "Docks Approach Road" was examined as part of the GLDP Inquiry which ran 1970-73, and was even endorsed by the panel's findings, but did not actually open until the late 1980s.
In other words: ten years isn't long at all in road planning.
B9127 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 22, 2018 19:42
10 Years from Public Inquiry and still not open -is that a record
Depends, I guess. Are there any road projects that went to public inquiry that then didn't get built?
Oh god yes. The M650 Bingley Bypass went to public inquiry in the 70s and was never built.
You could also consider that the "Docks Approach Road" was examined as part of the GLDP Inquiry which ran 1970-73, and was even endorsed by the panel's findings, but did not actually open until the late 1980s, by which time it had become the A406 Woodford-Barking Relief Road.
In other words: ten years isn't long at all in road planning.
orudge wrote: ↑Wed Sep 19, 2018 09:20
From the department of "maybe they know something we don't", a temporary road closure on the C89C (Chapel of Stoneywood - Fairley Road, aka the Kingswells bypass) has the AWPR listed as the official diversion route. The road is closed 25th - 28th September.
I'd already heard the 25th mentioned on Twitter - maybe, just maybe, we'll get on the road next week?
I had to go to Dyce airport this morning to collect my mother from her hols, had expected access to AWPR from A944 as mentioned on the road closure notice, but no, it was well & truly closed off.
I noticed from the Brimmond Hill road over bridge that the northbound carriageway had a lot of cones placed along both sides.
Does anybody know if this section of AWPR was was used as a diversionary rout over the last few days?
I have now also seen the full extent of resurfacing at Milltimber, oh dear!
orudge wrote: ↑Thu Sep 27, 2018 13:47
I'm certainly not holding out any hope that the road will be open on Saturday morning when I get back from my trip.
The notice above was replaced with this one sending folk via Fairley Road instead.
Thanks for that!
Forrit Brae was shut today for resurfacing works.
My pal was telling me that local MSP Mike Rumbles was laying into a Scottish minister on Radio Scotland about the AWPR, but an opening date was not given despite being pushed on the issue.
I saw a group of cyclists heading south at great speed when I passed over at Milltimber on Saturday morning. I could see a couple of service vehicles in the distance with roof beacons flashing, somehow I don’t think any staff would be too bothered to chastise the cyclists.
orudge wrote: ↑Thu Sep 27, 2018 13:47
I'm certainly not holding out any hope that the road will be open on Saturday morning when I get back from my trip.
The notice above was replaced with this one sending folk via Fairley Road instead.
Thanks for that!
Forrit Brae was shut today for resurfacing works.
My pal was telling me that local MSP Mike Rumbles was laying into a Scottish minister on Radio Scotland about the AWPR, but an opening date was not given despite being pushed on the issue.
Murray Duncan
It could rain tomorrow and Mike Rumbles would blame the SNP for it.
There's some fairly shaky helicopter footage of the southern section of the AWPR here, along with some high-res aerial photos (such as this one of the next roads.org.uk Bad Junctions entry!)
The question now of course is when is the thing going to open? It seems odd that they've set up traffic management for a partial opening if contractually they're not going to be able to open it. Usual template replies on Twitter from Transport Scotland that the contractor has been told to open it as soon as safe to do so.
Random tweet from an hour ago - "Spoke to guy working on the #awpr today, said subsidance is an issue on one of the bridges and he expects it'll be around Xmas time before it's fixed." No further details, of course, so take with a pinch of salt, as per usual.
Indeed judging by those pictures it is now very much a case of when the new road will finally be open to motorists. Understandably some more time will be needed if there is a bridge structure sinking into the ground. Are there any updates regarding the Craibstone - Goval section of the road? Judging by the way this section is currently being presented on OS maps, one would think that it is not as complete as the rest of the road.
wrinkly wrote: ↑Thu Sep 20, 2018 09:03
Scottish Parliament written answer on Tuesday:
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (Scottish National Party): To ask the
Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of the
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
(S5W-18538)
Michael Matheson: Sections of the project have been opened as they
become available and some sections are already open to traffic, for example
Craibstone and Dyce junctions at Aberdeen Airport and the 7km section of
dual carriageway between Blackdog and Parkhill (Goval). More recently the
section between Balmedie and Tipperty opened on 15 August 2018.
Transport Scotland is working closely with the contractor to bring forward
sections of the project as soon as they are available and safe to open to
traffic. The AWPR/B-T is expected to fully open to traffic in late Autumn 2018.
That follows the Phasing in the AWPR Project Agreement. (which is googleable)
Phase 1 - Craibstone Roundabout & Link Roads
Phase 2 - Balmedie to Tipperty
Phase 2A - Goval to Blackdog
All issued with Permit To Use (PTU) and opened to traffic.
The final Phase 3 is the ‘rest of the AWPR’.
Now we all know the Don Bridge isn’t yet complete.
I think the reason they can’t open Stonehaven to Craibstone, is they can’t achieve Substantial Completion or PTU on Phase 3 without a change to the Project Agreement. Which means lawyers get involved.
In DBFO Contracts, PTU is a legally significant date. It marks the change from New Works to O&M (Operation & Maintenance) and the start of the concession period.
It’s also the point that monthly payments start being made for the road.
I have 2 trains of thought...
1. Lawyers could agree a change to the Phasing and allow PTU to be issued for the southern section to Craibstone.
2. The Contracting Authority could tell the DBFO Company to honour the contract as per the Project Agreement.
I’m leaning closer to 2.
1. would have happened by now if there was mutual agreement between the two parties.
orudge wrote: ↑Tue Oct 09, 2018 13:06
There's some fairly shaky helicopter footage of the southern section of the AWPR here, along with some high-res aerial photos (such as this one of the next roads.org.uk Bad Junctions entry!)
That's the junction at Stonehaven??? So northbound traffic has to cross southbound traffic? Isn't that going to be chaos from the minute it opens? And there was me thinking Scotland had it's head screwed on re infrastructure
orudge wrote: ↑Tue Oct 09, 2018 13:06
There's some fairly shaky helicopter footage of the southern section of the AWPR here, along with some high-res aerial photos (such as this one of the next roads.org.uk Bad Junctions entry!)
That's the junction at Stonehaven??? So northbound traffic has to cross southbound traffic? Isn't that going to be chaos from the minute it opens? And there was me thinking Scotland had it's head screwed on re infrastructure
My money is on they paid the same numpty who thought the exact same crossing of flows at M40 J10 was a solid concept...
Bryn Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already. She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Herned wrote: ↑Tue Oct 09, 2018 20:15
That's the junction at Stonehaven??? So northbound traffic has to cross southbound traffic? Isn't that going to be chaos from the minute it opens? And there was me thinking Scotland had it's head screwed on re infrastructure
I live in Doncaster, I only visit Aberdeen about once a year, sometimes twice, and I have personally been stuck in traffic on more than one occasion on the existing road as traffic exits at Stonehaven, so I was surprised to see this rather odd arrangement.
There's another high resolution image here. This one shows Cleanhill and the approach to the roundabout from the bottom left of the photo appears to be very tight. Another lorry tipper perhaps?
How would you like your grade separations, Sir? Big and complex.
Why this peculiar obsession that rbts have to be a perfect circle? Are they designed only by computer with no human involvement?
There are so many examples of older rbts designed for the specific location, resulting in ovals, pear shaped, teardrop, rectangular with gentle corner curves. and so on.
It could be the perspective but, the entrances look too tight for artics without fouling the outer lane. The exits are good though.
Truvelo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 10, 2018 22:33
There's another high resolution image here. This one shows Cleanhill and the approach to the roundabout from the bottom left of the photo appears to be very tight. Another lorry tipper perhaps?
Daft. There would appear to be space for a free flow left there as well
