A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

[Berk]

Yes, I think we might see some real progress later throughout the year.

[Euan]

I did think after looking at the most recent photos and reading about the decent progress made thus far that the end of 2020 was a bit of a pessimistic projection. I suppose that it will be the on-line section of the A14 between Girton and Swavesey that will take quite a while to complete.

[A9NWIL]

I did think after looking at the most recent photos and reading about the decent progress made thus far that the end of 2020 was a bit of a pessimistic projection. I suppose that it will be the on-line section of the A14 between Girton and Swavesey that will take quite a while to complete.

Offline must be easier to build seeing as there is no traffic to contend with.

[Euan]

I did think after looking at the most recent photos and reading about the decent progress made thus far that the end of 2020 was a bit of a pessimistic projection. I suppose that it will be the on-line section of the A14 between Girton and Swavesey that will take quite a while to complete.

Offline must be easier to build seeing as there is no traffic to contend with.

Very true. The only traffic to contend with when building an off-line road is where the road is to meet existing roads, where restrictions would need to be put in place to alter the road layout.

[darkcape]

And there's far less services to deal with. The online section carriers all water/gas/comms/power mains between Cambridge and Huntingdon.

The offline section was supposed to be opened later but there's pressure from the HE to open it sooner. It helps building the tie-ins at Brampton and Swavesey but mainly thanks to the dry summer last year they were able to get back on track.

I also saw that beams are about to be lifted in at Robins Lane, one of three bridges still to be finished (the other two are the NMU bridges at Swavesey and Bar Hill)

[Al__S]

the Bar Hill and Swavesey NMU bridges will be the most visually striking structures on the whole project, as they're cable stayed bridges

[Berk]

I did think after looking at the most recent photos and reading about the decent progress made thus far that the end of 2020 was a bit of a pessimistic projection. I suppose that it will be the on-line section of the A14 between Girton and Swavesey that will take quite a while to complete.

I thought the late 2020 deadline was meant to include works such as demolition of Huntingdon viaduct, and other urban enhancement projects.

[kiran_mk2]

I believe the original timelines had the new road opening in late 2019 with 2020 reserved for landscaping and sorting out the Huntingdon changes. Then, there was a delay and the original timeline plans disappeared from the scheme website (around the time Carillion went bust) and the local papers talked about the roads not opening until 2020. It would be great if at least some of the new road opened early (my bet would have been on the new A14 w/b at Girton, but it seems that section must have been delayed). If it is the new offline section that opens first I can see a lot of disappointment the the real bottleneck is getting traffic into Cambridge and the Science Park which the offline section won't fix alone.

To be honest, unless the Science Park gets it's own direct access from the A14 I think only through traffic will benefit from this scheme and traffic for the Science Park will still end up queuing down one of the lanes from Girton to Histon/Milton.

[camflyer]

I believe the original timelines had the new road opening in late 2019 with 2020 reserved for landscaping and sorting out the Huntingdon changes. Then, there was a delay and the original timeline plans disappeared from the scheme website (around the time Carillion went bust) and the local papers talked about the roads not opening until 2020. It would be great if at least some of the new road opened early (my bet would have been on the new A14 w/b at Girton, but it seems that section must have been delayed). If it is the new offline section that opens first I can see a lot of disappointment the the real bottleneck is getting traffic into Cambridge and the Science Park which the offline section won't fix alone.

To be honest, unless the Science Park gets it's own direct access from the A14 I think only through traffic will benefit from this scheme and traffic for the Science Park will still end up queuing down one of the lanes from Girton to Histon/Milton.

I work on the Science Park and there is no chance of a direct access to the A14 from the Park as there just isn't the space between Milton and Histon for a new junction (and same for a junction between Milton and Fen Ditton to serve Cambridge North) - and that comes from briefings we've had the Science Park management who have looked into the options. However the Park is working with the authorities to improve access to/from Kings Hedges and Milton Roads. With a few thousand more jobs coming to the site (plus the development around Cambridge North) in the next few years more capacity will be required.

One option being looked at is a tunnel from the back of the Science Park under the A14 to provide a direct link to the Milton Park and Ride and A10. There already is a tunnel (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.23646 ... a=!3m1!1e3) from the car parks at the back of the Regional College but it just leads to the Travellers' site.

[KeithW]

I believe the original timelines had the new road opening in late 2019 with 2020 reserved for landscaping and sorting out the Huntingdon changes. Then, there was a delay and the original timeline plans disappeared from the scheme website (around the time Carillion went bust) and the local papers talked about the roads not opening until 2020. It would be great if at least some of the new road opened early (my bet would have been on the new A14 w/b at Girton, but it seems that section must have been delayed). If it is the new offline section that opens first I can see a lot of disappointment the the real bottleneck is getting traffic into Cambridge and the Science Park which the offline section won't fix alone.

To be honest, unless the Science Park gets it's own direct access from the A14 I think only through traffic will benefit from this scheme and traffic for the Science Park will still end up queuing down one of the lanes from Girton to Histon/Milton.

The main reason for building the road was of course congestion on the A14 itself and easing through traffic. Access to the science park and Cambridge is an issue for the local highways authority and should have been provided when the development occurred. Its going to be hard to fix now but the reality is that role of HE is keeping the strategic roads flowing not local traffic. I am sure that Cambridge CC would argue that you should be cycling or using the guided bus, that's their usual fall back position in my experience.

[c2R]

I've said before, but if I were HE I would be looking to close the Fen Ditton and Histon junctions and provide a LAR between Girton and Quy which I would hand over to Cambridgeshire County Council and leave local access as a battle for them to have with the City Council.

edit - interestingly, looking at the map, most of the science park is within the remit of South Cambs and not the City Council (although all is a single county highways authority) - I hadn't realised this before, although I suppose it goes some way to explain why it was built with any parking at all!

[camflyer]

I've said before, but if I were HE I would be looking to close the Fen Ditton and Histon junctions and provide a LAR between Girton and Quy which I would hand over to Cambridgeshire County Council and leave local access as a battle for them to have with the City Council.

edit - interestingly, looking at the map, most of the science park is within the remit of South Cambs and not the City Council (although all is a single county highways authority) - I hadn't realised this before, although I suppose it goes some way to explain why it was built with any parking at all!

That's right - the Science Park is on South Cambs land (which must really annoy the City Council) but the public road which runs through the Park is the jurisdiction of the County Council. So in the space of a few acres you have three councils, Highways England and various Cambridge colleges all with interests so it's no wonder that planning is so complicated

Cambridge City Council covers a surprisingly small area. Much of what many people would think of Cambridge is actually in South Cambs

[medgoode]

More pictures of progress from the A14C2H Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/A14C2H/photos/ ... 99/?type=3

What is more interesting is the following reply to a comment:

It seems the LAR that goes from Huntingdon Road to Dry Drayton will open on Tuesday 19th March.

[Berk]

That’s fantastic. Should start taking some local traffic off the A14.

[Euan]

More pictures of progress from the A14C2H Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/A14C2H/photos/ ... 99/?type=3

What is more interesting is the following reply to a comment:

Screenshot_20190308-222410~2.png

It seems the LAR that goes from Huntingdon Road to Dry Drayton will open on Tuesday 19th March.

In the photo, is there a cycle route under construction to the side of the road? It definitely looks like a cycle route and if it is it would be excellent for cycling on.

[c2R]

More pictures of progress from the A14C2H Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/A14C2H/photos/ ... 99/?type=3

What is more interesting is the following reply to a comment:

Screenshot_20190308-222410~2.png

It seems the LAR that goes from Huntingdon Road to Dry Drayton will open on Tuesday 19th March.

In the photo, is there a cycle route under construction to the side of the road? It definitely looks like a cycle route and if it is it would be excellent for cycling on.

Yes, it is. Cambridgeshire have been building many of these sorts of cycle route on arterial routes heading out of the city. They're in the main built to a really high standard and have done a good job at separating non motorised users from cars etc. and of encouraging cycling.

Here's an example heading towards Fourwentways

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1421924 ... 312!8i6656

[ravenbluemoon]

More pictures of progress from the A14C2H Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/A14C2H/photos/ ... 99/?type=3

What is more interesting is the following reply to a comment:

Screenshot_20190308-222410~2.png

It seems the LAR that goes from Huntingdon Road to Dry Drayton will open on Tuesday 19th March.

In the photo, is there a cycle route under construction to the side of the road? It definitely looks like a cycle route and if it is it would be excellent for cycling on.

Yes, it is. Cambridgeshire have been building many of these sorts of cycle route on arterial routes heading out of the city. They're in the main built to a really high standard and have done a good job at separating non motorised users from cars etc. and of encouraging cycling.

Here's an example heading towards Fourwentways

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1421924 ... 312!8i6656

Are these the ones with the LED cats eyes lining the edges of the path? They look pretty good in the dark.

[Al__S]

More pictures of progress from the A14C2H Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/A14C2H/photos/ ... 99/?type=3

What is more interesting is the following reply to a comment:

Screenshot_20190308-222410~2.png

It seems the LAR that goes from Huntingdon Road to Dry Drayton will open on Tuesday 19th March.

In the photo, is there a cycle route under construction to the side of the road? It definitely looks like a cycle route and if it is it would be excellent for cycling on.

Yup, it's a 4m wide (!) "Non motorised user" path along the whole of the new build section of the Local Access Road, which will link to the new B1050 cycleway to Northstowe and connect into Bar Hill and across at Swavesey with dedicated bridges. There's going to be a spur built to Dry Dryton following lobbying from the Parish Council.

As I currently ride from Cambridge to Bar Hill for work through Madingley, even just the first section is going to be a huge improvement.

[c2R]

In the photo, is there a cycle route under construction to the side of the road? It definitely looks like a cycle route and if it is it would be excellent for cycling on.

Yes, it is. Cambridgeshire have been building many of these sorts of cycle route on arterial routes heading out of the city. They're in the main built to a really high standard and have done a good job at separating non motorised users from cars etc. and of encouraging cycling.

Here's an example heading towards Fourwentways

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1421924 ... 312!8i6656

Are these the ones with the LED cats eyes lining the edges of the path? They look pretty good in the dark.

Yes, at least the one on the A10 is:

Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1281804 ... 312!8i6656

After: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1282134 ... 312!8i6656

As I said, the design is really good - priority for the cyclist at many of the minor driveways and turns, cats eyes to aid travel at night (and there are many cyclists that do use the path in the evening). It's made my journeys into Cambridge much more pleasant as a motorist and must have increased the number of cycle km travelled. I just wish more authorities in the GB would do the same....

The approach in Ireland appears similarly disjointed, I was impressed with the path that was put alongside the N53 at Hackball's Cross towards Dundalk about ten years ago https://www.google.com/maps/@54.0301611 ... 384!8i8192 but it just sort of disappears at each end of the improved section and nothing else has ever materialised...

[kiran_mk2]

I believe the original timelines had the new road opening in late 2019 with 2020 reserved for landscaping and sorting out the Huntingdon changes. Then, there was a delay and the original timeline plans disappeared from the scheme website (around the time Carillion went bust) and the local papers talked about the roads not opening until 2020. It would be great if at least some of the new road opened early (my bet would have been on the new A14 w/b at Girton, but it seems that section must have been delayed). If it is the new offline section that opens first I can see a lot of disappointment the the real bottleneck is getting traffic into Cambridge and the Science Park which the offline section won't fix alone.

To be honest, unless the Science Park gets it's own direct access from the A14 I think only through traffic will benefit from this scheme and traffic for the Science Park will still end up queuing down one of the lanes from Girton to Histon/Milton.

I work on the Science Park and there is no chance of a direct access to the A14 from the Park as there just isn't the space between Milton and Histon for a new junction (and same for a junction between Milton and Fen Ditton to serve Cambridge North) - and that comes from briefings we've had the Science Park management who have looked into the options. However the Park is working with the authorities to improve access to/from Kings Hedges and Milton Roads. With a few thousand more jobs coming to the site (plus the development around Cambridge North) in the next few years more capacity will be required.

One option being looked at is a tunnel from the back of the Science Park under the A14 to provide a direct link to the Milton Park and Ride and A10. There already is a tunnel (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.23646 ... a=!3m1!1e3) from the car parks at the back of the Regional College but it just leads to the Travellers' site.

I wasn't thinking about a separate junction, but more of a loop around from the e/b Milton slip road (similar to the M42/A45 junction to provide access to the NEC) which then goes under the A14 into the Science Park. Although this only provides 1 movement (A14 w/b into Science Park) I think it would provide a lot of relief from queuing down the A14 (at both Histon and Milton). Quite possibly it could also provide access back from the Science Park to the A10 n/b.