A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

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Al__S
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Al__S »

it appears that the next section of the A1307, from Dry Drayton Road to the B1050, is now being surfaced. The new sliproads at Girton, giving access to/from Cambridge, look pretty advanced too.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Berk »

This might sound a bit naïve, but how is the current A14 mainline being integrated into the new road??

Is it symmetric or asymmetric widening??
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by kiran_mk2 »

Berk wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 03:56 This might sound a bit naïve, but how is the current A14 mainline being integrated into the new road??

Is it symmetric or asymmetric widening??
Between Bar Hill and Swavesy it will be asymmetric as the current e/b carriageway looks like it will become the LAR and widening is happening on the southern side of the road. As the current road goes under the new Bar Hill junction bridges it is clearly seen that it is quite close to the southern (Bar Hill side) pillars and a larger gap exists between the current road and the northern (Lonstanton side) pillars which suggests that widening here will switch to the northern side of the road.

They have cut down some trees on the southern side between Dry Drayton and Bar Hill, but I can't see that they are doing any widening here - perhaps just prep work to put in some road signs.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by roadtester »

kiran_mk2 wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 10:05
Berk wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 03:56 This might sound a bit naïve, but how is the current A14 mainline being integrated into the new road??

Is it symmetric or asymmetric widening??
Between Bar Hill and Swavesy it will be asymmetric as the current e/b carriageway looks like it will become the LAR and widening is happening on the southern side of the road. As the current road goes under the new Bar Hill junction bridges it is clearly seen that it is quite close to the southern (Bar Hill side) pillars and a larger gap exists between the current road and the northern (Lonstanton side) pillars which suggests that widening here will switch to the northern side of the road.

They have cut down some trees on the southern side between Dry Drayton and Bar Hill, but I can't see that they are doing any widening here - perhaps just prep work to put in some road signs.
Yes - the switching of sides is very visible on the ground now.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by alans »

Berk wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 03:56 This might sound a bit naïve, but how is the current A14 mainline being integrated into the new road??

Is it symmetric or asymmetric widening??
The new A14 road layout can be seen quite clearly in this video

https://youtu.be/EMBSUoH7zbI
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Berk »

HE have now admitted they can’t get enough tipper-truck drivers.

The answer?? Autonomous, self-driving trucks...

They can work 24/7, and don’t need lunch breaks. :)

Seriously, though. It underlines the sheer scale of resource needed (including 24/7 working) to get this project delivered on time.

(Maybe if they hadn’t faffed around with the tolling idea, and cancelling the enquiries...)
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Bryn666 »

They'd still be short of tipper drivers even if they ignored statutory planning processes though?
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Berk »

That’s probably more down to build-ready projects at any given time.

My point was that the enquiries were ceremoniously binned in 2010, which was pointless because it was known the project would be built.

It had to happen. Delaying it probably added to the costs, and created a gap in the number of projects.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Chris56000 »

Hi!

Regarding all the various new gantries on the A1 with no signs as yet, I wonder if H.E. will erect temporary black–on–yellow signage along the A1 and other parts of the new route, as was done for the M6/M1/A14 Catthorpe improvement project?

The temporary yellow signage would be adequate even if there was some delay in getting the new A14(M) Special Road Orders through in time – I'm fairly sure I've seen both black–on–yellow chopsticks and crossed–out black–on–yellow chopsticks before now whilst A1 L to B was being constructed!

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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Berk »

It won’t take long at all to bash them (the orders) out. :)

The delay is when groups start whining/chaining themselves to trees. It’s rather late to be doing anything like that now.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Bryn666 »

Berk wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 00:01 It won’t take long at all to bash them (the orders) out. :)

The delay is when groups start whining/chaining themselves to trees. It’s rather late to be doing anything like that now.
Redesignating the A14 requires Chris Grayling to provide a signature. If we're lucky he might redesignate it as M14 rather than a territory of the moon.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Patrick Harper »

Given that the eastbound Catthorpe signs state 'M6 (A14)', could there be a plot to extend the M6 along the A14 and therefore be the designation of the current scheme?
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Jeni »

Skye wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 12:56 Given that the eastbound Catthorpe signs state 'M6 (A14)', could there be a plot to extend the M6 along the A14 and therefore be the designation of the current scheme?
Nope
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

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Skye wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 12:56 Given that the eastbound Catthorpe signs state 'M6 (A14)', could there be a plot to extend the M6 along the A14 and therefore be the designation of the current scheme?
I doubt it, there is a 40 mile gap of all purpose road between Catthorpe and Brampton Hut where the A14(M) will begin and then another 70 miles of A14 from Girton to Felixstowe and HE have already stated the motorway section will not include the Cambridge Northern Bypass. The signs are as they are because the M6 ends east of junction 19 of the M1
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Chris Bertram »

KeithW wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 13:27
Skye wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 12:56 Given that the eastbound Catthorpe signs state 'M6 (A14)', could there be a plot to extend the M6 along the A14 and therefore be the designation of the current scheme?
I doubt it, there is a 40 mile gap of all purpose road between Catthorpe and Brampton Hut where the A14(M) will begin and then another 70 miles of A14 from Girton to Felixstowe and HE have already stated the motorway section will not include the Cambridge Northern Bypass. The signs are as they are because the M6 ends east of junction 19 of the M1
From M6 to Thrapston *could* be argued as meeting Expressway standards - all the junctions are GSJs, there are service areas, I think all the foot crossings have now been removed, and IIRC there are no side accesses. Between Thrapston and Brampton Hut, along the ex-A604 section there are at-grade crossings that give away the earlier date of the upgrade, and if there are any plans to improve this section then I haven't heard about them.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Berk »

Well this is where reality bites, and no amount of fantasising about a Scotland/Midlands-East Coast motorway will change the fact that some serious upgrades would be needed in that area. Otherwise it can’t be a motorway.

Or it could just remain as an A-road. Won’t stop you from driving on it. :wink:
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Al__S »

Chris Bertram wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 13:35
From M6 to Thrapston *could* be argued as meeting Expressway standards - all the junctions are GSJs, there are service areas, I think all the foot crossings have now been removed,
I drove it yesterday- there's definitely still signs up for foot crossings, including one between the M6 and junction 1 (the A5159), a six mile section of road that is only usable by traffic permitted on the motorway.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by roadtester »

Al__S wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 20:15
Chris Bertram wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 13:35
From M6 to Thrapston *could* be argued as meeting Expressway standards - all the junctions are GSJs, there are service areas, I think all the foot crossings have now been removed,
I drove it yesterday- there's definitely still signs up for foot crossings, including one between the M6 and junction 1 (the A5159), a six mile section of road that is only usable by traffic permitted on the motorway.
I've made this point a number of times over the last few years - and the Thrapston to A1 section is going to look even more sub-standard once it links straight into the new A14(M) and A1(M).

Once the Cambridge/Huntingdon work is done, it will be the only sub-standard part of what will otherwise be a pretty fit-for-purpose route, given the other improvements that have been made over the years - Catthorpe upgrade, widening near Kettering, widening at Cambridge, Rookery Crossroads upgrade, Haughley Bends upgrade and so on.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by Berk »

Another aspect in which it is very deficient: due to being D2AP, elephant racing is very common.
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Re: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon "news"

Post by ais523 »

KeithW wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 13:27
Skye wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 12:56 Given that the eastbound Catthorpe signs state 'M6 (A14)', could there be a plot to extend the M6 along the A14 and therefore be the designation of the current scheme?
I doubt it, there is a 40 mile gap of all purpose road between Catthorpe and Brampton Hut where the A14(M) will begin and then another 70 miles of A14 from Girton to Felixstowe and HE have already stated the motorway section will not include the Cambridge Northern Bypass. The signs are as they are because the M6 ends east of junction 19 of the M1
It doesn't, though. The M6 goes over Catthorpe Viaduct and terminates by merging into the M1. The road from the M6 to the A14 is a slip road. (You can confirm this by looking at the letters on the Driver Location Signs, which clearly differentiate slip roads from mainlines.)

Presumably this is because the M6 always used to terminate on the M1, and it would have caused a lot of extra paperwork for no benefit to change that.
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