A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

[thatapanydude]

Drove the new bit of the A14 on Christmas Day and noticed the bridges looked as if they would take a 4th lane in future. I may be late in posting this as i am sure someone else has mentioned it!

Though the viaduct over the ECML looks only to be enough for 3 lane upon initial inspection.

[kiran_mk2]

It would not surprise me if the section from Swavesy to Bar Hill needs to be upgraded to 4 lanes to cope with the commuter traffic from the villages. The sheer volume of traffic trying to merge on to the A14 in the mornings is still causing a massive bottleneck and I can't imagine it will be that much better with one extra lane. A lane gain at that point would be much better. It might be that the opening of the new LAR from Swavesy all the way to Huntingdon Road may reduce some of the traffic so I will reserve full judgement until the road is fully open.

[DB617]

Drove the new bit of the A14 on Christmas Day and noticed the bridges looked as if they would take a 4th lane in future. I may be late in posting this as i am sure someone else has mentioned it!

Though the viaduct over the ECML looks only to be enough for 3 lane upon initial inspection.

To a cynic that would almost seem like an A42 situation: quietly engineer in an exorbitant cost or insurmountable problem (like closing the ECML) to prevent the issue of widening from every coming up.

[thatapanydude]

Drove the new bit of the A14 on Christmas Day and noticed the bridges looked as if they would take a 4th lane in future. I may be late in posting this as i am sure someone else has mentioned it!

Though the viaduct over the ECML looks only to be enough for 3 lane upon initial inspection.

To a cynic that would almost seem like an A42 situation: quietly engineer in an exorbitant cost or insurmountable problem (like closing the ECML) to prevent the issue of widening from every coming up.

It's not just restricted to the A14 as well. The works have left an upgrade of the A1 almost impossible due to the D2 sized bridges, the new alignment following straight onto the Buckden bypass and the postings of concrete supporting the gantries right upto the nearside lane (meaning a 4th lane or HS is impossible). Notwithstanding the Black Cat scheme which will only see a D2 sized (might be D3 at best, but the curves are tight) underpass under the A421.

[roadtester]

Given how much of the A14 is already D3* any upgrade at D2 that doesn't leave room for expansion is probably a bit misguided.

* that's a decent stretch near Kettering, most of the Huntingdon to Cambridge scheme, much of the Cambridge bypass and at the multiplex with the A11 at the Newmarket bypass.

[roadtester]

A local news source has a quite detailed article about how changes associated with the scheme are intended to benefit Huntingdon.

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/c ... ssion=true

[mikehindsonevans]

Positive progress from Friday night 10th Jan. Westbound from the M11 onto A14 towards Cheshire. Once past Cambridge Services, the 50mph limit clears, the third lane opens up and the road is clear.

Approaching the A1, left lane veers away. Two lanes then thread up alongside the A1 before looping up, left and westwards past Brampton Services, to run neatly into the original alignment of the road to Kettering and beyond (through Catthorpe and onto the M6).


The smartification works past Corley svcs now heading towards March (2020) we are told) completion. We then roll onwards onto the HSR M6 past Brum, (with Armco not concrete in the central reservation).

This just leaves the M6 n/b j13 to j15 works - which actually flowed tonight.

Maybe this weekly nightmare journey is about to turn a corner?

[darkcape]

We can't build every scheme with futureproofing "just in case". If we widen the whole route to D4 do we leave an extra lane in case we widen to D5? This is already an upgrade, when will it stop?

The Dry Drayton bridge is the original so that would have to be replaced for any further widening. Bar Hill junction IS excessively wide, but this was to aid the construction sequence and TM phasing, not futureproofing.

The wide areas on A14 mainline at Brampton & Ellington and the new Girton westbound loop are for visibility due to the concrete barrier, again nothing to do with futureproofing.

[c2R]

As I've said before, if existing bridges still have the lifespan and are wide enough for the scheme, there's no point in replacing them. Similarly, the junction at Brampton may require significant remodelling in future anyway, if the A1 to the south was made motorway offline, or if any large settlement was added, or traffic patterns changed significantly.

Remember that the original plan was for a very nasty junction at the A1 involving a tight loop, and the scheme as built is a signficiant improvement on that. The better design was presumably made in the bounds of the available funding, and therefore doesn't seem perfect. I've now travelled both ways on it this week, and do feel that the northbound A14>A1 sliproad feels tight...

[ABB125]

The wide areas on A14 mainline at Brampton & Ellington and the new Girton westbound loop are for visibility due to the concrete barrier, again nothing to do with futureproofing.

Why are concrete barriers used on modern road schemes? I always thought that metal was better because it will deform slightly and thus reduce the force of the collision; as far as I'm aware concrete doesn't deform.
Also, why does a concrete barrier have such an effect on sighting?

[c2R]

Concrete barriers are more durable - so if there are collisions, the intention is that they remain undamaged. They are also supposed to be securely affixed to the ground and therefore reduce the risk of crossovers by large vehicles (although this did happen on the M25).

The durability aspect is important as it means that road crews aren't then sent out to fix barriers, requiring additional traffic management etc. I believe the risk assessments come out that they're safer overall compared with metal barriers, and have less motorcycle shredding effects than the wire barriers.

[Al__S]

Also, on straighter sections, the concrete barriers allow the central reservation to be just the width of the barrier.

[Chris5156]

Also, why does a concrete barrier have such an effect on sighting?

Because, from a normal car drivers' position, you can't see through it and you can't see much over it. When travelling around a right-hand bend with a concrete central barrier, you therefore need clear space between the road and barrier to increase your forward visibility.

[ABB125]

Also, on straighter sections, the concrete barriers allow the central reservation to be just the width of the barrier.

Also, why does a concrete barrier have such an effect on sighting?

Because, from a normal car drivers' position, you can't see through it and you can't see much over it. When travelling around a right-hand bend with a concrete central barrier, you therefore need clear space between the road and barrier to increase your forward visibility.

Concrete barriers are more durable - so if there are collisions, the intention is that they remain undamaged. They are also supposed to be securely affixed to the ground and therefore reduce the risk of crossovers by large vehicles (although this did happen on the M25).

The durability aspect is important as it means that road crews aren't then sent out to fix barriers, requiring additional traffic management etc. I believe the risk assessments come out that they're safer overall compared with metal barriers, and have less motorcycle shredding effects than the wire barriers.

Thanks for your replies.

[ManomayLR]

For me a concrete barrier looks much cleaner, because grass growing between the Armco just looks rather messy. The concrete barrier on new ALR schemes and the A14 gives the central reservation a very clean look.

Also, although most concrete central barriers aren't tall enough for this, a tall concrete barrier can help to prevent "rubbernecking", in other words if an accident happens on one carriageway people on the other side won't be able to see it, so won't slow down.

[Berk]

I’m always afraid of driving into them myself. Run into one of them and you’ll be clobbered (not to mention the car).

And they’re ugly things, really dominate the reserve.

[ManomayLR]

They look slimmer and not as “messy”, for me I do like the cleaner look.

[nowster]

For me a concrete barrier looks much cleaner, because grass growing between the Armco just looks rather messy.

Not just grass. The saplings here have grown a far bit since Google passed by:

https://goo.gl/maps/nk5TzgBP4rpmaFNj9

[Berk]

You could always try covering the concrete with a hedge, so it looks natural.

[Ruperts Trooper]

You could always try covering the concrete with a hedge, so it looks natural.

The do that with stone walls in Wales, along the A5 - guess how I found out!