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Duncan wrote:Great video, Jeni. I take it the numpty who overtook you at 2.42 didn't notice that there is a solid white line in the middle of the road, or didn't care.
... or even notice the presence of cameras?? They are pretty frequent along the scheme.
I drove through this morning for the first time in a few weeks. Traffic is now diverted to go through the new short tunnel section (the "Navigation Inn overbridge", see picture in this post) at Gilwern. This is significant as it's the first stretch of new alignment to open in this section (although still a single lane in each direction of course). The new footbridge at Gilwern was also raised about a month ago. This will be a great vantage point for picture updates once open as it's closer to the tunnel than the old footbridge.
Clearing / rock blasting / cutting had also visibly accelerated for the continuation of the split level section at the Brynmawr end.
Riley wrote:Is the flyover over the roundabout at Gilwern open yet?
No, not yet. There was a newsletter that implied this was going to open last summer but it never happened. It appears to be being used as storage at the moment. They are slowly erecting crash barriers along it too.
Great pictures, Andy! I quite like the "twisting" effect of that bridge.
Yes weathering steel, but an architect can probably tell you better that a dark colour on the skyline draws attention to the structure whereas a light colour allows the structure to fade into and blend with the sky behind. I think I would have picked yellow or light blue, but if costs trumps appearance then we are destined to live with cheap ugly infrastructure
wrinkly wrote:Weathering steel is used to avoid the need for painting so it doesn't come in blue.
Indeed I do know that having built a few bridges with the stuff, but the point is that has anyone assessed the visual impact against the skyline of what looks like a fairly "lumpy" piece of steel and would it have looked better in painted steel? From the photo it looks pretty ugly.
See I quite like the blue steel bridges on the 1997 length of the M65.
Mind you I also like the painted brown gantries on the M1 around Sherwood Forest but that might be because it reminds me of the A13 in Paris through Versailles which has done the same thing.
Bryn Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already. She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Riley wrote:Is the flyover over the roundabout at Gilwern open yet?
No, not yet. There was a newsletter that implied this was going to open last summer but it never happened. It appears to be being used as storage at the moment. They are slowly erecting crash barriers along it too.
Great pictures, Andy! I quite like the "twisting" effect of that bridge.
Yes, I thought storage too... I expect there is a reason for it not opening yet but they could have easily opened it up a month or 2 ago and saved millions of minutes journey time for all.
Riley wrote:Is the flyover over the roundabout at Gilwern open yet?
No, not yet. There was a newsletter that implied this was going to open last summer but it never happened. It appears to be being used as storage at the moment. They are slowly erecting crash barriers along it too.
Great pictures, Andy! I quite like the "twisting" effect of that bridge.
Yes, I thought storage too... I expect there is a reason for it not opening yet but they could have easily opened it up a month or 2 ago and saved millions of minutes journey time for all.
I've only ever driven through there in off-peak times so I don't know if that junction ever gets that busy. If it doesn't, I guess the flyover will just be a nice convenience rather than a massive time saver.
Riley wrote:
I've only ever driven through there in off-peak times so I don't know if that junction ever gets that busy. If it doesn't, I guess the flyover will just be a nice convenience rather than a massive time saver.
Yes, but.. .When it was 2+1 and a little chef occupied the space I'm driving along in the last photo the roundabout was often a 5 minute wait at peak holiday times...and now over the past 7 years during the dualling works, and with the new roundabout alignment, the wait has deminished ...and even if the gsj opened now traffic would be reduced to S2 soon afterwards and the pinch point would be a little , not fit for purpose temporary roundabout by the main dualling works headquarters.
If the gsj opened now it would save a minute or so for every motorist...unless then, that temp roundabout spawned more delay .
I had cause to use the A465 a few weekends ago when the Brynmawr - Gilwern section was closed. The signed diversion was A467 south to Crumlin then east on the A472 till it meets the A4042 just past Pontypool, then north to the A465/A40 intersection south of Abergavenny.
a465 gilwern a by Dskies, on Flickr
a465 gilwern b by Dskies, on Flickr
a465 gilwern gsj june 2017 by Dskies, on Flickr
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