Forth Replacement Crossing

[Duncan macknight]

As a small side thought here... Would it be possible to “accidentally” cross the forth road bridge. I wouldn’t think there’s a massive penalty or fine to do so, probably the worst that would happen is a telling off from a policeman. Thoughts...

[Berk]

[*]

[wrinkly]

The third section of M90 to be built was called Arlary to Arngask.

Was it? I’m pretty sure that the third section of the M90 was the Kinross bypass which went from Gairneybridge (a terminus at Lochran, more accurately) up to Arlary. After that the next section was Arlary to Arngask although the road did terminate a bit further on than Arngask. Bridge of Earn to Craigend may have opened before this mind you..

Sorry, I ment the fourth section was Arlary to Arngask. I was miscounting from my own list.

[djw1981]

As a small side thought here... Would it be possible to “accidentally” cross the forth road bridge. I wouldn’t think there’s a massive penalty or fine to do so, probably the worst that would happen is a telling off from a policeman. Thoughts...

IIRc it now runs under bus lane type conditions, so they would probably be looking at fine plus 3pts?

[Berk]

As a small side thought here... Would it be possible to “accidentally” cross the forth road bridge. I wouldn’t think there’s a massive penalty or fine to do so, probably the worst that would happen is a telling off from a policeman. Thoughts...

IIRc it now runs under bus lane type conditions, so they would probably be looking at fine plus 3pts?

I thought there were cameras, so they’d just fine people who wanted to do their own thing?? In any case, you can’t really join the bridge northbound, apart from slip roads.

[djw1981]

There are the standard traffic cameras, though whether they have ANPR appropriate for enforcing vehicle restrictions I have no idea!

Indeed, northbound access is via slip roads at the old Echline junction, thus it is a fairly deliberate act to join the bridge, and not something which one could easily claim as an accident or disorientated.

[novaecosse]

As a small side thought here... Would it be possible to “accidentally” cross the forth road bridge. I wouldn’t think there’s a massive penalty or fine to do so, probably the worst that would happen is a telling off from a policeman. Thoughts...

IIRc it now runs under bus lane type conditions, so they would probably be looking at fine plus 3pts?

It depends who’s tasked with doing the enforcement.
If it’s Police Scotland, then yes, it would be a fine + points.
But Council enforced Bus Lanes only attract a fine... which is often discounted if paid promptly.

[Berk]

Meanwhile I’m still struggling to understand why the M90 couldn’t have been built to go straight to the Queensferry Crossing (there is sufficient land outwith the Dundas Mains estate), and why the M90 at J1 isn’t full access, so you can go eastbound (rather than take the A8/A902).

Even a cheapo onslip from the B800 would do (until they can fix it properly).

[Bryn666]

The decision to follow the railway was to reduce the amount of "converting our countryside to concrete!" sulking. The result is a horribly convoluted motorway route though.

[Berk]

It’s lead to an absurd choice of route though...

[Glen]

The M9 Spur extension was a local road project and built to connect to the existing bridge, long before the FRC was being planned. It had to connect to the A90 allowing for the existing junction, so it couldn't have taken a much straighter route without needing a complete redesign of the Echline Junction.
If it hadn't already been built then the motorway link between the M9 and FRC could have been to the west of Dundas Castle, but that wasn't going to happen when there was a new motorway just to the east of that route.

[Truvelo]

Had the A720 north of Gogar been built the whole thing would have been a continuation of the Edinburgh Bypass. There would have been no TOTSOing at all between the A720 and FRC.

[Duncan macknight]

Had the A720 north of Gogar been built the whole thing would have been a continuation of the Edinburgh Bypass. There would have been no TOTSOing at all between the A720 and FRC.

Was that ever in plans? Or did a 1980s road planner say “the A902 is there so the A720 can stop at the A8”. I think that the original M9 spur messed things up from the start but it’s not a BAD extension, just the ruddy sharp bend at the top that’s the annoying bit in the whole M90 approach route.

[wrinkly]

I have a dim and vague idea that at some time in the distant past an undertaking was made that the A720 would not be extended north of the A8.

Incidentally I see that current Landranger mapping shows (as a "place of interest", with blue shaded background to the text) a "Country Esate" (sic) at Cammo, west of the A902. Whilst some OS maps have disputable spellings of some placenames, I don't remember seeing a typo in an ordinary word on an OS map before.

[A9NWIL]

How about this the A720 gets extended to meet the A90, the A90 gets an LAR from that point to the B924 (The LAR could actually take the number B924), then the bit of A90 from the A720 extension to the other bit of M90 becomes part of the M90 as a spur.

[FtoE]

The Construction Timleine on CBRD: http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m90 suggests otherwise, unless construction sections were opened a bit at a time.

I've also compiled the dates on the wiki here: Scottish_Motorway_Opening_Dates

That’s pretty comprehensive!
(The only one I can’t see is the M9 from junction 9 (I think) to Junction 7 which connected the two sections of the M9 and where it multiplexes with the M876. Opened about 1980 I believe?)

[Duncan macknight]

The Construction Timleine on CBRD: http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m90 suggests otherwise, unless construction sections were opened a bit at a time.

I've also compiled the dates on the wiki here: Scottish_Motorway_Opening_Dates

That’s pretty comprehensive!
(The only one I can’t see is the M9 from junction 9 (I think) to Junction 7 which connected the two sections of the M9 and where it multiplexes with the M876. Opened about 1980 I believe?)

Yes it opened in 1980 and ran from junction 9 to just south of junction 7. There was a temporary terminus in the form of a roundabout (https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/) The M876 was also extended from J2 to junction 3 and was opened at the same time.

[djw1981]

I have a dim and vague idea that at some time in the distant past an undertaking was made that the A720 would not be extended north of the A8.

Incidentally I see that current Landranger mapping shows (as a "place of interest", with blue shaded background to the text) a "Country Esate" (sic) at Cammo, west of the A902. Whilst some OS maps have disputable spellings of some placenames, I don't remember seeing a typo in an ordinary word on an OS map before.

I have heard mention of some deliberate typos to help OS spot when people use their mapping without attribution or payment etc.

[Halmyre]

I have a dim and vague idea that at some time in the distant past an undertaking was made that the A720 would not be extended north of the A8.

Incidentally I see that current Landranger mapping shows (as a "place of interest", with blue shaded background to the text) a "Country Esate" (sic) at Cammo, west of the A902. Whilst some OS maps have disputable spellings of some placenames, I don't remember seeing a typo in an ordinary word on an OS map before.

I have heard mention of some deliberate typos to help OS spot when people use their mapping without attribution or payment etc.

They're usually non-existent locations rather than typos. I would have thought a bit more subtle than that, though.

[mikehindsonevans]

We crossed the new Forth Road Bridge for the first time on New Year's day. It is good to see that the roadworks are finally behind us, but I have to say that the signposting (we came along the A720 from the A1 at Haddington) left a bit to be desired. You know that you want to cross the "Forth Bridge" - but why does that destination randomly disappear from certain roadsigns and overhead gantries just where you need reassurance?

Leaving aside the minor gripe (plus our satnav grew concerned that we were travelling over open water!) this new bridge is a fine piece of construction. returning to Glasgow over the Kincardine Bridge reminded us of how road bridges in Scotland have improved over the past 80 years.

Mike