M8 Completion Approved

[trencheel303]

For anyone who hasn't seen them on the Sabre Facebook group, here are some photos I took near Shawhead on the 30th of April, after the Eastbound carriageway was opened.

Brilliant photos and I'm pleased to see they've used proper legible gantries with the "get in lane" arrows and not the usual Glasgow style gantries.

[wrinkly]

Contraflows coming up on the A8 to refurbish the Cutty Sark rail bridge:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/a8- ... rbishment/

[Robert Kilcoyne]

Showcase cinema is the A752 junction

I assume you use A89 exit at Bailieston J8 and use the AP dual carriageway A8.

Likewise no EB exit at Shawhead A725.

Also no WB entry at Shawhead or Showcase

This means that you have to use the A8 eastbound from Baillieston J8 if you want to access the A725 towards Bellshill.

It would be interesting to know what will be on the eastbound gantry at J8, and whether there will be a sign before J8 to advise local traffic that it needs to leave the motorway there if travelling to Showcase and Bellshill.

[A9NWIL]

Showcase cinema is the A752 junction

I assume you use A89 exit at Bailieston J8 and use the AP dual carriageway A8.

Likewise no EB exit at Shawhead A725.

Also no WB entry at Shawhead or Showcase

This means that you have to use the A8 eastbound from Baillieston J8 if you want to access the A725 towards Bellshill.

It would be interesting to know what will be on the eastbound gantry at J8, and whether there will be a sign before J8 to advise local traffic that it needs to leave the motorway there if travelling to Showcase and Bellshill.

There is an M8 eastbound exit at the A725 though.

[wrinkly]

There is an M8 eastbound exit at the A725 though.

If by that you mean an exit from the northbound A725 to the eastbound M8, yes. If you mean an exit from the eastbound M8 to the A725, no.

[Halmyre]

For anyone who hasn't seen them on the Sabre Facebook group, here are some photos I took near Shawhead on the 30th of April, after the Eastbound carriageway was opened.

Brilliant photos and I'm pleased to see they've used proper legible gantries with the "get in lane" arrows and not the usual Glasgow style gantries.

Hideous monstrosities of eyesores that they are (see also the gantries on the approaches to the Queensferry Crossing).

[A9NWIL]

There is an M8 eastbound exit at the A725 though.

If by that you mean an exit from the northbound A725 to the eastbound M8, yes. If you mean an exit from the eastbound M8 to the A725, no.

Thats odd I remember seeing one in Jen's video thats linked in this thread!

Sorry no that was westbound. In that case they obviously want people to go from the M8 eastbound - M73 southbound, then M73 - M74 eastbound, then M74 eastbound - A725 northbound. Long winded but more freeflow than M8, A89, A8, A725.

[Gav]

There is access to the A725 from the M8 but you need to leave the M8 at the M73 junction and then pick up the old A8. its not free flow but its not that far off it. one roundabout and then onto the A8 mainline, going the M73 M74 A725 route would just be silly now wouldn't it.

[Altnabreac]

The M74 northbound from J4 Maryville to J3 is now pretty much complete with the new M73 merge arrangements open at J4, looks like there is one more gantry to be built.

Equally the M8 between J10 (Fort) and J8 Baillieston looks pretty much complete. A final overnight closure is due tonight so my suspicion is that J9 exit slip may reopen tomorrow morning.

The M73 between Maryville and Baillieston is also getting a lot closer to completion and the new dedicated non merge arrangement for southbound traffic from M8 Baillieston opened yesterday. I believe the widened M73 is due to open this weekend and it looks on schedule for that.

M8 westbound diverge at J6 Newhouse is still 1 lane only as there seems to be ongoing work to the Bothwellshields Road underbridge.

Haven't been on the M74 south of Maryville for a while so can't comment on progress there.

In general though it looks like the final lane restrictions will be removed by this weekend with just snagging remaining.

[Altnabreac]

And indeed Transport Scotland are giving a similar message:

Roads opening on M8, M73 and M74

Keith Brown has announced the opening of the M8, M73 and M74 as part of the £500m M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair work said all daytime lane restrictions on the M8, M73 and M74 will be removed progressively over the coming days, freeing up capacity on the key part of Central Scotland’s motorway network.

This will allow road users to experience the benefit of the widened motorways and help deliver the full journey time savings of the new M8 motorway opened in April and the M74 Raith Underpass opened in February.

As part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project, a range of improvements have been built over the last three years, including a new M8 motorway, significant improvements to Raith and Shawhead junctions as well as widening of the M8, M73 and M74, with new lanes providing an increase in motorway capacity.

Mr Brown said: “We are just a few days away from seeing the last of the lane restrictions being removed from the motorway network as originally planned.

“When this happens, Scotland’s economy will start to see the economic benefit of this half billion pound investment in the nation’s infrastructure. These huge improvements to the Central Scotland motorway network, which had been operating significantly beyond capacity, will improve connections for business and road users alike.

“This will unleash the economic benefits which lie at the heart of this project and help our economy grow in a sustainable manner.

“This will result of better journey times during peak periods, better connectivity, journey time reliability, and road safety – improving access to facilities and employment areas.”

The announcement comes less than five weeks after the new M8 motorway opened to traffic.

The final configuration of the A8 will also open in the coming days with the new A8 overbridge from Eurocentral west towards Shawhead.

This means people’s journeys in that area will change. I would urge people to familiarise themselves with the new layout by checking the route maps we have prepared. Maps are available on the Transport Scotland website www.transport.gov.scot/m8opening

The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Roads Partnership (SRP), along with funding from the European Investment Bank and Allianz Global Investors, to deliver this vital infrastructure project linking the key arterial routes in Central Scotland. SRP is a consortium formed by Cintra, Amey, Meridiam and Aberdeen Asset Management.

Gabriel Valtueña-Ramos, General Manager of SRP, said: “We are proud to have delivered this major strategic infrastructure scheme for Scotland, which will bring huge benefits to the economy, as well as improved safety and reliability to road users.

We will now focus on necessary finishing and snagging works, and local road improvements which follow on from the lifting of motorway restrictions. These will have little impact on the travelling public with the vast majority of these restrictions happening outwith peak hours.

“We would like to thank the travelling public and local residents for their patience during the past three years.

“Our main contractors Ferrovial Agroman UK and Lagan Construction Group Joint Venture have worked tirelessly to deliver these new works, and Amey will operate and maintain the network for the next 30 years.

“I believe this has been an excellent example of how SRP has produced positive synergies between Cintra, Ferrovial Agroman and Amey to manage such a complex project."

https://www.transport.gov.scot/news-ite ... 0df081be35

[TMC79]

Network Rail are to start a re-furb of the Cutty Sark Bridge with a contraflow on the A8 for 20 weeks starting next week.

The co-ordination of works never ceases to amaze

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/sta ... 4670429184

[GrahameCase]

The co-ordination of works never ceases to amaze

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/sta ... 4670429184

At least it'll not affect strategic traffic travelling on the newly completed M8 - i bet they think disruption to traffic on the A8 will be greatly reduced from what it would have been if it was still part of the M8 Edinburgh / Glasgow Artery.

[A9NWIL]

The co-ordination of works never ceases to amaze

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/sta ... 4670429184

At least it'll not affect strategic traffic travelling on the newly completed M8 - i bet they think disruption to traffic on the A8 will be greatly reduced from what it would have been if it was still part of the M8 Edinburgh / Glasgow Artery.

Very true thats what I was thinking, while the A8 here as a dual carriageway is good, I can imagine that the traffic on this section will be very local now, meaning that they are very likely right about reduced disruption.

[TMC79]

The co-ordination of works never ceases to amaze

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/sta ... 4670429184

At least it'll not affect strategic traffic travelling on the newly completed M8 - i bet they think disruption to traffic on the A8 will be greatly reduced from what it would have been if it was still part of the M8 Edinburgh / Glasgow Artery.

Very true thats what I was thinking, while the A8 here as a dual carriageway is good, I can imagine that the traffic on this section will be very local now, meaning that they are very likely right about reduced disruption.

Probably true, would have been nice though to let the traffic settle on the new roads and new layouts before there were more cones laid out, especially when the minister is shouting from the rooftops that the restrictions are being lifted.

[djw1981]

I'd argue the opposite - if it happened in say July, people would say 'they've just finished one set of works and here's more'. I'd say it is very good coordination meaning that hopefully once finished, they won;t need to be closing any sections in near future.

[Altnabreac]

I'd be another vote for starting work straight away. People can understand it was much better to wait until the M8 traffic was removed from the Cutty Sark to start the works, everyone is pretty used to roadworks by now so just get on with it. You can see from looking at the bridge that it's needed some TLC for a few years but it would have been very disruptive so good that they waited until now.

[Altnabreac]

Looks like the Eurocentral junction opened fully this morning with the new APR A8 westbound open for the first time.

This should really help traffic flow round there as the A8 around Eurocentral has looked a nightmare the last few weeks.

I believe J9 of the M8 also reopened this morning. Possibly just waiting on the M73 - M74 now to have all lanes open of the associated network improvements.

The A725 widening northbound over the WCML near Bellshill is still a fair way off being complete but there are 2 lanes through that area so not a capacity reduction on previous position, just a speed limit in the roadworks.

[TMC79]

Just been through most if it and all of the restrictions have been removed, all the roads that were closed were open.

Only thing that wasn't was the new M73 on slip at Daldowie but it looked like it was in the process of being opened at the time.

Still a lot of work on signage and gantries to be done on the M74 and 73 but it's all flowing well !

I can only assume the contractual damages for over-running programme kicked in on the 1st June.

[djw1981]

There will still be overnight closures for gantries etc I suspect. Also, it does look rather interesting timing one week before an election...

[Robert Kilcoyne]

At least it'll not affect strategic traffic travelling on the newly completed M8 - i bet they think disruption to traffic on the A8 will be greatly reduced from what it would have been if it was still part of the M8 Edinburgh / Glasgow Artery.

It may affect drivers travelling to Showcase, but as it is only three miles between the A8 / A725 interchange at Shawhead and the M74 / A725 interchange at Raith I would think that a lot of traffic from the Bellshill and Viewpark areas will use the M74 while the A8 roadworks are in place.