A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

[ManomayLR]

Come off at Brampton Hut and rejoin the A1 southbound - from there you can join the new A14 (from December 9th at least).

So keep going and turn around at the roundabout. Why couldn't they build A1 northbound access sliproads?

And why these weird junctions? Why can they not just have the A14 cross the A1 with a nice big 4-way stack interchange in the middle?

[trickstat]

Come off at Brampton Hut and rejoin the A1 southbound - from there you can join the new A14 (from December 9th at least).

So keep going and turn around at the roundabout. Why couldn't they build A1 northbound access sliproads?

Because there is no real need for them. If you are travelling from the south to anywhere between where the LAR meets the east end of the new A14 and the junction with the M11 you are likely to use the M11, A428, A1198 or A10 or the westbound A14. I have only once turned right at the Spittals Interchange onto the eastbound A14, and that was for a destination that I think I would go to again via the LAR.

[Paul7755]

Because there is no real need for them. If you are travelling from the south to anywhere between where the LAR meets the east end of the new A14 and the junction with the M11 you are likely to use the M11, A428, A1198 or A10 or the westbound A14. I have only once turned right at the Spittals Interchange onto the eastbound A14, and that was for a destination that I think I would go to again via the LAR.

It’s a bit like Catthorpe in this respect, isn’t it? The expected flows are not equally shared across all possible directions, and only the most important are provided.

[Berk]

Come off at Brampton Hut and rejoin the A1 southbound - from there you can join the new A14 (from December 9th at least).

So keep going and turn around at the roundabout. Why couldn't they build A1 northbound access sliproads?

Because there is no real need for them. If you are travelling from the south to anywhere between where the LAR meets the east end of the new A14 and the junction with the M11 you are likely to use the M11, A428, A1198 or A10 or the westbound A14. I have only once turned right at the Spittals Interchange onto the eastbound A14, and that was for a destination that I think I would go to again via the LAR.

It would also help if we stopped thinking about the road numbers as they are now, and instead what they will be once the project is complete.

The LAR will be the A1307 - a non-trunk road under the authority of Cambridgeshire County Council. The road heading from the A1(M) south-east towards Spittals will also be part of that. The road heading east from Brampton Hut will be part of the A141.

None of them will be part of the A14. It’s only because it’s easy for us to remember now that we still think of them as “ex-A14” (not least because the signs haven’t changed).

If you were 20 years old, and went to Winchester today, you probably wouldn’t have a clue where the A33 and A31 ever went through the city.

[jervi]

If you were 20 years old, and went to Winchester today, you probably wouldn’t have a clue where the A33 and A31 ever went through the city.

I'm 20 and I do have a clue that the A31 and A33 went through the city. Plus the A272 and the A34.

[Berk]

I meant an average punter, not a Sabristo.

[jervi]

I know

[ManomayLR]

Because there is no real need for them. If you are travelling from the south to anywhere between where the LAR meets the east end of the new A14 and the junction with the M11 you are likely to use the M11, A428, A1198 or A10 or the westbound A14. I have only once turned right at the Spittals Interchange onto the eastbound A14, and that was for a destination that I think I would go to again via the LAR.

It’s a bit like Catthorpe in this respect, isn’t it? The expected flows are not equally shared across all possible directions, and only the most important are provided.

True. Except this junction never had an all-flow layout, whereas the pathetic old arrangement of Catthorpe did.

[Berk]

Only from 1994 (when the local roads were inexplicably opened up) to 2016 (when they were closed again).

You could argue that Brampton Hut is full access, however it doesn’t need a 4-level stack, as there is (going to be) only small levels of local traffic heading down the A141.

The main missing movement would be heading south, or north (from the west), at Brampton Hut. If you were that desperate to go south from Cambridge, surely you’d take the A505, or A428?? Or even M11??

If you’re heading north or south from Thrapston, you’ll just have to take the slip towards Brampton Hut. Heading north from Cambridge, you can join the A1 anyway.

[someone]

And why these weird junctions? Why can they not just have the A14 cross the A1 with a nice big 4-way stack interchange in the middle?

Because it would cost a lot of money when certain movements will be hardly used. And how will your stack allow access to the Services, the A141, and the two local access roads? You would still end up with all the weird junctions anyway.

[Berk]

They’d just be the at-grade movements.

[ManomayLR]

And why these weird junctions? Why can they not just have the A14 cross the A1 with a nice big 4-way stack interchange in the middle?

Because it would cost a lot of money when certain movements will be hardly used. And how will your stack allow access to the Services, the A141, and the two local access roads? You would still end up with all the weird junctions anyway.

A small roundabout junction off the A14 or A1 which is just within reach of the stack level junction. Someone can turn from the A1 onto the A14, then off of the roundabout, to the services, then back onto the A14 in the other direction and using the stack level interchange back onto the A1.

[Jeni]

And why these weird junctions? Why can they not just have the A14 cross the A1 with a nice big 4-way stack interchange in the middle?

Because it would cost a lot of money when certain movements will be hardly used. And how will your stack allow access to the Services, the A141, and the two local access roads? You would still end up with all the weird junctions anyway.

A small roundabout junction off the A14 or A1 which is just within reach of the stack level junction. Someone can turn from the A1 onto the A14, then off of the roundabout, to the services, then back onto the A14 in the other direction and using the stack level interchange back onto the A1.

But what is gained from this?

[Berk]

It’s not really big enough for a Ferrybridge or Holmfield Interchange, I think.

[someone]

A small roundabout junction off the A14 or A1 which is just within reach of the stack level junction. Someone can turn from the A1 onto the A14, then off of the roundabout, to the services, then back onto the A14 in the other direction and using the stack level interchange back onto the A1.

There is almost a mile and a half between the point where the A14 and A1 meet, and Brampton Hut. Where is your stack going to be that it will not require traffic on one of those roads to not have to go out of their way to turn back?

Doing that was the very thing you were complaining about, in needing to double-back on the A1 to go from the A1 south to A14 east, despite hardly anyone needing to make that movement. Under your idea busier traffic flows will be forced to do something similar instead. That would make it worse, not better.

I do not know the traffic levels between the A14 west to A1 south, but that is the only likely direction that could need grade separating, in addition to A14 east to A1 north. The A605 cuts the corner for most traffic between the A14 west to A1 north, and the A428 does the same for A14 east to A1 south.

And for that I would have braided the A14, with the westbound carriageway to the west of the A1 and the eastbound one on the other side. You can then grade separate in both directions much more cheaply. That they did not I assume means there is not the demand to justify it.

[ForestChav]

I'm not even sure which movements we are complaining aren't catered for well.

Assuming that the current A14 which is being bypassed is no longer going to be a thing, certainly not to upset the kind people of Huntingdon... A14-A14 traffic isn't going to change, A14W-A1S isn't existing, but who's going to be joining that from north of Cambridge, which should be using the A428 anyway, and likewise in the opposite direction.

Linking the A1 - A14 - M11 route is clearly going to be freeflow which is probably the main route other than traffic staying on either route, so this is also fine.

The only other thing I can think of is traffic from either the A1 or A14 accessing the Brampton - Huntingdon - Godmanchester - A141 area, which is local traffic, other than those using the A141 for longer distance as a way to the A47...

[c2R]

The new signs approaching Brampton Hut from the A14 heading eastbound are definitely something to behold. Lots and lots of clutter and brackets, and A1 (North) and A1(S) used on the same line, with really odd spacing...

[Bryn666]

You mean HE still can't find anyone capable of doing sign design?

Time the big consultants were stripped of this responsibility as they think the new starter can do it and that it isn't important.

[KeithW]

I do not know the traffic levels between the A14 west to A1 south, but that is the only likely direction that could need grade separating, in addition to A14 east to A1 north. The A605 cuts the corner for most traffic between the A14 west to A1 north, and the A428 does the same for A14 east to A1 south.

And for that I would have braided the A14, with the westbound carriageway to the west of the A1 and the eastbound one on the other side. You can then grade separate in both directions much more cheaply. That they did not I assume means there is not the demand to justify it.

Realistically if you were on the A14 westbound and wanted to head south down the A1 you would use the A428 from Girton to St Neots anyway and that road is expected to be improved with a new D2 section from Caxton Gibbet to the Black Cat where the roundabout will be replaced with a new junction. Using the new A14 would be going the long way round.

[someone]

Realistically if you were on the A14 westbound and wanted to head south down the A1…

Sorry, I was not clear. I meant travel between the western part of the A14 and the southern part of the A1. i.e. A14 eastbound onto the A1 southbound, or A1 northbound onto the A14 westbound.

As you say, for most traffic the A428 cuts the corner between the southern part of the A1 and the eastern part of the A14, similarly the A605 does the same between the northern part of the A1 and the western part of the A14.

The new road provides grade separation for the eastern side of A14 onto the northern part of the A1, so I was referring to the only movement without such an obvious route. Unless you deem the B645 a suitable option, the route from the southern part of the A1 onto the western side of the A14 means going through both Brampton Hut and the new Ellington junction.

Because of that I assume the traffic flows must be fairly low. Otherwise braiding the A14 around the A1 for the parallel section would have allowed Catthorpe style grade separation for both directions with the same number of bridges, though it would obviously need a little more land.