A1(M) Leeming - Barton

[wrinkly]

However this bridge is one that was designed to be temporary so it should only take a few hours anyway. Not like some of the others where they've had to break up reinforced concrete with multiple peckers.

[Repmobile]

However this bridge is one that was designed to be temporary so it should only take a few hours anyway. Not like some of the others where they've had to break up reinforced concrete with multiple peckers.

I did hear that rather than actually 'demolish' the bridge, the plan is to lift it down to ground level, then dismantle it in sections.
It will then be taken away on lorries. That way the bridge can be utilised again in the future somewhere else as it is of modular construction, rather like a very large Meccano set.




.

[wrinkly]

It always looked almost in danger of falling down anyway.

[Repmobile]

The A1 actually reopened ahead of schedule this morning, I first went along it about 5.30am in the dark.

Returning later in daylight, it looked decidedly odd around Fort Bridge with the temporary bridge now gone, just the abutments on the sides of the A1 remaining.

Although it is planned that the new Fort Bridge will be open to pedestrians tomorrow, lets hope the re-surfacing of the road doesn't take too long and that it opens to vehiclular traffic imminently.

Overall, there still seems to be quite a bit of work left to do on the scheme. They now seem to be concentrating on overnight re-surfacing around Scotch Corner junction, which they seem to be doing one partial quadrant and one lane at a time, whilst also keeping the junction open. Then using diversions around the partial quadrant and lane they are actually working on, including sometimes going 'the wrong way' around the junction in convoy and also using local roads and the temporarily opened LAR between Scotch Corner and Catterick North.

For example, they were resurfacing the part outside of the Holiday Inn Hotel last week which needed the following diversions:

A1 northbound and southbound
• The A1 northbound exit slip road will be closed. Diversions will be via Barton Junction.
• The A1 northbound entry slip road will only be available for traffic from the A66.
• The A1 southbound exit slip road will be open (to access the A66 diversions via Barton Junction, Kneeton Lane and the local access road will need to be followed).
• The A1 southbound entry slip road will be open for traffic from the A66 and Middleton Tyas Lane

A66
• Traffic travelling from the A66 will be able to access the northbound and southbound A1 as well as Middleton Tyas Lane and the A6108
• Access onto the A66 will only be available following a diversion from Barton Junction, Kneeton Lane and the local access road

A6108
• Access onto the southbound A6108 will be available for traffic from the A66 and southbound A1
• Traffic travelling north on the A1 will need to use Barton Junction, and then return south to reach the A6108
• Access onto the northbound side of the A6108 will be closed from the Richmond Road Roundabout
• Diversions onto the A1 will use the local access road – continuing to Catterick Central Junction

Middleton Tyas Lane
• Middleton Tyas Lane will remain open – though it will only be possible to access from the southbound A1 and the A66

Next week, it looks like they will be working on the south eastern and north north eastern quadrants of the junction (subject to weather conditions etc).

[wrinkly]

I walked over Fort Bridge today and unless anyone has contrary information I imagine it was opened to pedestrians before the temporary bridge was removed. There were still floodlights switched on, presumably left over from the dismantling.

Last time I was there, Roman stonework was visible in a trench across the A6136 (if it's still called that over Fort Bridge, given that its main route is now to J52). The remains have now been covered over. Most of the new kerbs and drainage channel lines are in place but a good deal of carriageway work has still to be done on the bridge and approaches.

Today the full length of the LAR was open, possibly for the first time and possibly permanently. The northbound on-slip to the mainline at Catterick North has been removed. The southbound off-slip there was still open, possibly to keep some traffic off the Scotch Corner roundabout while reconstruction there continues.

The widening of the LAR junction near Barton continues but work has shifted to the north side of the road, allowing the LAR to be reopened between there and Scotch Corner. The LAR was subject to a 30 limit from Catterick North to the A6108 and from Scotch Corner to Barton.

Northbound through traffic is still split into two separated lanes on two stretches, one starting at Catterick Central and the other through Scotch Corner.

The resurfacing and contraflows between Dishforth and Baldersby have ended and three lanes were open each way, though further lane closures will be needed to complete the reinstatement of the permanent road markings. Also to reinstate the permanent central barrier, unless they decide to leave a couple of stretches of temporary barrier in place to reduce the effort needed to set up future resurfacing jobs.

[wrinkly]

I've been looking at the latest replies to questions on the scheme page. On the completion date:

I can confirm that the majority of the scheme will be complete and open for traffic by December 2017, there will be a small 2 mile section near the River Swale which will be complete in March 2018, this is due to complicated ground conditions meaning additional works are needed to ensure that the embankments remain stabilised.

and on the old chestnut of the lane drop at Leeming Bar, a repeat of what's been said before:

The road markings will be changed when the section from junction 51 to junction 50 requires resurfacing. The junction was future proofed to ensure that three lanes could be provided so it's just a case of reconfiguring the white lines. However, to change the configuration now would result in a lot of unnecessary resurfacing when there is still life left in the pavement. Our operational team who look after the motorway on a day to day basis are aware of this need and will ensure the reconfiguration happens when the resurfacing is carried out.

[Mark Hewitt]

The road markings will be changed when the section from junction 51 to junction 50 requires resurfacing. The junction was future proofed to ensure that three lanes could be provided so it's just a case of reconfiguring the white lines. However, to change the configuration now would result in a lot of unnecessary resurfacing when there is still life left in the pavement. Our operational team who look after the motorway on a day to day basis are aware of this need and will ensure the reconfiguration happens when the resurfacing is carried out.

If you're caught in congestion at Leeming because of the lane drop it'll be even more annoying to know that the only reason for the queue is 'paint'.

[Repmobile]

I've been looking at the latest replies to questions on the scheme page. On the completion date:

I can confirm that the majority of the scheme will be complete and open for traffic by December 2017, there will be a small 2 mile section near the River Swale which will be complete in March 2018, this is due to complicated ground conditions meaning additional works are needed to ensure that the embankments remain stabilised.

and on the old chestnut of the lane drop at Leeming Bar, a repeat of what's been said before:

The road markings will be changed when the section from junction 51 to junction 50 requires resurfacing. The junction was future proofed to ensure that three lanes could be provided so it's just a case of reconfiguring the white lines. However, to change the configuration now would result in a lot of unnecessary resurfacing when there is still life left in the pavement. Our operational team who look after the motorway on a day to day basis are aware of this need and will ensure the reconfiguration happens when the resurfacing is carried out.

I wonder if they are going to change the notice boards at either end of the scheme to put in the 'new' completion date of March 2018?. That will make it almost a year over run as it was originally slated for opening in Spring 2017.

It is really surprising how they constantly denied there was an over run from their 'Spring 2017 opening, whch then suddenly slipped to ''end of 2017', which then suddenly slipped to Winter 2017/18, then we now have it as March 2018. Will it be summer 2018 next?

At least it is not the archaeologists to blame this time, but 'ground conditions'. I wonder what the next excuse for delay will be.

[Mark Hewitt]

I wonder if they are going to change the notice boards at either end of the scheme to put in the 'new' completion date of March 2018?. That will make it almost a year over run as it was originally slated for opening in Spring 2017.

It is really surprising how they constantly denied there was an over run from their 'Spring 2017 opening, whch then suddenly slipped to ''end of 2017', which then suddenly slipped to Winter 2017/18, then we now have it as March 2018. Will it be summer 2018 next?

At least it is not the archaeologists to blame this time, but 'ground conditions'. I wonder what the next excuse for delay will be.

I've been putting off a trip to Fountains Abbey which I'd hoped to do this summer but didn't want to trawl through the works - and wanted to see the finished result. That's now put off until 2018.

[85CF380]

The road markings will be changed when the section from junction 51 to junction 50 requires resurfacing. The junction was future proofed to ensure that three lanes could be provided so it's just a case of reconfiguring the white lines. However, to change the configuration now would result in a lot of unnecessary resurfacing when there is still life left in the pavement. Our operational team who look after the motorway on a day to day basis are aware of this need and will ensure the reconfiguration happens when the resurfacing is carried out.

If you're caught in congestion at Leeming because of the lane drop it'll be even more annoying to know that the only reason for the queue is 'paint'.

Lane drops are a stressful pain in the backside when you're 60ft long & speed limited.
On a busy road you're checking whether if you move out, will you create unnecessary delay to the truck behind who's steadily catching you up or do you leave it late and find yourself blocked out, accidentally or deliberately.
I've noticed that some HGV drivers pull into lane 2 southbound (M1) soon after Trowell to avoid been blocked out at j25, probably been caught out previously, leaving £m's worth of lane 1 unused. Likewise HGV's avoid using the HS when HSR operates on the M62 eastbd j27-j28 because of the chance of been blocked onto the lane drop at j28. Fine at Scotch Corner where a high % HGV's turn off but not for Leeming.

[Burns]

The road markings will be changed when the section from junction 51 to junction 50 requires resurfacing. The junction was future proofed to ensure that three lanes could be provided so it's just a case of reconfiguring the white lines. However, to change the configuration now would result in a lot of unnecessary resurfacing when there is still life left in the pavement. Our operational team who look after the motorway on a day to day basis are aware of this need and will ensure the reconfiguration happens when the resurfacing is carried out.

...and people wonder why I hate the UK.

[Bryn666]

Maybe if motorways hadn't become so cluttered with needless lengths of Dia 1004.1 and all the hatching (where other countries would have just used deformable delineators) then the resurfacing would be avoided...

[Chris5156]

If you're caught in congestion at Leeming because of the lane drop it'll be even more annoying to know that the only reason for the queue is 'paint'.

Well quite. I don't think I've ever heard of something so arbitrarily, ridiculously stingy.

I wonder if anyone has troubled themselves to forecast the potential delays that will be caused by one tiny section of D2M in the middle of a three lane motorway, the increased risk of accidents from all the additional lane changing and merging, the cost to the economy of all that over the next however-many-years the existing pavement will last until it needs to be resurfaced, and compared that to the cost of a few hundred yards of blacktop at a site that already has the traffic management set out?

[Patrick Harper]

This won't be the only lane drop when the work is complete, I believe the D2M alignment through Scotch Corner is being retained.

[Mark Hewitt]

This won't be the only lane drop when the work is complete, I believe the D2M alignment through Scotch Corner is being retained.

It is but of course significant amounts of traffic leave at Scotch Corner, and in any case it goes to D2M at Barton.

[Hdeng16]

If you're caught in congestion at Leeming because of the lane drop it'll be even more annoying to know that the only reason for the queue is 'paint'.

Well quite. I don't think I've ever heard of something so arbitrarily, ridiculously stingy.

I think this sums the whole thing up. It's completely and utterly random. In the grand scheme of things, lets save naff all on not resurfacing a small area of road. It's ridiculous. If there is an accident/oil leak maybe they could repaint bit by bit?

[Roadmeister17]

There is no excuse for the lane-drop at J51.
It is just sheer incompetence.
The Contractors should rip down the misleading signage and reinstate the third lane at their cost because it is THEIR mistake.
Regarding the lane drop at J53 Scotch Corner however , I can see the point - to get drivers used to the fact that it will soon narrow to a D2M carriageway. It used to be D2M plus hardshoulder going through this junction. This arrangement could - arguably - be reconfigured to accommodate 3 narrow lanes in future - a la Gateshead bypass.
I have written to Highways England about the cock-up with the new mileage signs on the southbound carriageway and am STILL awaiting their reply ( see my earlier post ). ROADMEISTER 17.

[wrinkly]

There is no excuse for the lane-drop at J51.
It is just sheer incompetence.
The Contractors should rip down the misleading signage and reinstate the third lane at their cost because it is THEIR mistake.

In what way is it the contractors' mistake? As far as I know they implemented the designer's design. There's a post a long way back in this thread which says something like "in the absence of a client requirement, it won't be changed."
Almost all the road markings that would need to be removed were put in as part of the Dishforth to Leeming contract when there was no confirmed timescale for Leeming to Barton.

[Burns]

Someone should paint some male appendages over the two lane section, it'll be resurfaced and repainted within the hour. Works for potholes, anyway.

[Patrick Harper]

Back when the M1 J6a-10 widening was completed back in 2008, Junction 10 was completely rebuilt with a futureproofed D3/4M mainline under the bridges. That is three lanes northbound with the fourth lane hatched out. Only five years later, when the smart motorway upgrade to the north was completed, the fourth lane was instated though the junction. Given that the designers of that scheme felt an obligation to do so, why was the precedent not set for the A1 scheme, when the capacity difference from two to three lanes is even greater?