M6 J16 - J19 Smart Motorway

[ManomayLR]

I've seen tech specs with a white colour option but ideally, MS4s should be quad-colour: red, green, orange and white. As of now, you can only pick two of those colours for your MS4. We should have red Xs, speed limit circles, and 'virtual flashing lights side to side', white NSL signs and numbers, and orange 'virtual flashing lights up and down', orange text and green arrows in a lane closure diagram to show lane open.

[ais523]

You'd probably only actually need red, green, and white LEDs inside the sign to make that work. The vast majority of humans can't distinguish orange light from a specific mix of red and green light, so you just turn on the red and green LEDs simultaneously to get a colour in the orange to yellow range (you can tune the duty cycles in order to control the specific resulting shade).

[ManomayLR]

You'd probably only actually need red, green, and white LEDs inside the sign to make that work. The vast majority of humans can't distinguish orange light from a specific mix of red and green light, so you just turn on the red and green LEDs simultaneously to get a colour in the orange to yellow range (you can tune the duty cycles in order to control the specific resulting shade).

Interesting. I wish it'd be implemented though. Perhaps on M1 13-15 and the M4. And if the M42 or M6 ever get upgraded, the TJR lane diagrams will look much nicer.

[mikehindsonevans]

We used this stretch n/b on Wednesday and s/b yesterday. 19-18 is looking like a motorway while 17-18 still has a way to go.

[xfield]

19-18 has had the limit upped to 60 now - not that everyone has realised! 18 to 17 (and I assume 16) still at 50.

[Big L]

19-18 has had the limit upped to 60 now - not that everyone has realised! 18 to 17 (and I assume 16) still at 50.

That's welcome news.

[Bryn666]

Proves that roadworks limits are set by geometry and width of lanes. 18-19 is now 3 full width lanes and L1 coned off so a welcome change.

[Johnathan404]

I came through here early evening on Christmas Eve. I don’t think the M6 has ever been so kind to me.

J19-18 does indeed look ready to open. The 60mph limit is a godsend. ERAs are not yet orange.

Coming through J19 there is a services sign which looks hideously wide. Turns out it has the number ‘M6’ hanging off the left for no reason at all; there are no other motorways nearby.

The drop in speed limit near J18 looks very easy to miss, although everyone saw it when I went through. J18-17 also looks ready to open and my untrained eye cannot see why the limit has not been raised.

J17-16 is clearly not ready to open.

Elsewhere, the roadworks through J15 and again through J14 make for a masochistic comedy act, even with no other roadworks. The ones through J14 particularly drag.

Now then, the open section of ALR between J13 and J11a. I thought you lot were exaggerating. I pretty much had lanes one and two to myself the whole way, while a steady stream of cars passed in lane three. It doesn’t affect the capacity of road (and didn’t affect my journey at all), but it is frustrating.

The only point they all changed lanes was when we got to the M6 Toll split, even though it’s clear you can go from lane three, but I guess that would involve looking at the signs.

[mikehindsonevans]

We shall be heading back up there tomorrow. Thanks for the tip about increased speeds north of J18. We'll now be able to stay ahead of the Stobart lorry which (uncharacteristically) was busting the limit in all the works around j13 as well as j17 on the evening of December 19th.

[A303Chris]

Here is the HE press release on the increase to 60mph between J18 and J19.

As with the M5 and M3 schemes recently the works on the carriageway are completed but can't open it fully until testing of the equipment is finished, they expected to do this in the new year.

It also says the whole scheme will be completed by Spring as planned , so it can only be good news.

[Big L]

That stretch at 60 is a blessing. J17-18 doesn't look far off being ready for the same. Still no orange surface in any of the refuges as far as I could see.

[jusme]

Still no orange surface in any of the refuges as far as I could see.

Is that to be a thing on this stretch? Not seen it elsewhere, e.g. this is one on the live section between J12-J13:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.72523 ... !1e1?hl=en

[Big L]

Still no orange surface in any of the refuges as far as I could see.

Is that to be a thing on this stretch? Not seen it elsewhere, e.g. this is one on the live section between J12-J13:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.72523 ... !1e1?hl=en

The signs highlight the refuges orange. I can't see a similar sign for the refuge you linked to.

[Bryn666]

Still no orange surface in any of the refuges as far as I could see.

Is that to be a thing on this stretch? Not seen it elsewhere, e.g. this is one on the live section between J12-J13:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.72523 ... !1e1?hl=en

The signs highlight the refuges orange. I can't see a similar sign for the refuge you linked to.

All ALR refuges will now be orange with the new style signs; existing ones will be retrofitted in due course.

[jusme]

All ALR refuges will now be orange with the new style signs; existing ones will be retrofitted in due course.
:
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.

And now with orange warts

[havaska_uk]

This may be of interest if you haven't already seen it

http://www.roads.org.uk/index.php/blog/orange-appeal

[Nicholas]

I just hope they use a better orange material than what was used on the trial M3 laybys - they're practically pale yellow by comparison now!

[mikehindsonevans]

Warning - incoming rant!

We have spent more of our lives on this stretch of the M6 than we would want, during the past month.

Last Thursday (10/1/19) we spent seven hours getting from Romsey to Hale Barns (209 miles) - including many hours spent crawling along in the dark on the section(s) from 13 to 19. We suffered many sets of unlit roadworks, at least six broken-down cars (oh, for a hard-shoulder!) but the 60MPH section north of J18 gave our final stagger to j19 a bit of a flourish to finish (we enjoyed the A556M).

Only once (near j16) did we see a HETO unit - which was guarding a breakdown recovery truck in the first lane of whatever carriageway surface we were running on.

Is it me, or have all the reflectors on the temporary steel barriers been camouflaged? It was like driving in an 80-mile grey-brown tunnel, swerving periodically around dead/abandoned cars with dying glow-worms on their tails.

To give you an idea, even Stafford Services seemed attractive!

[Chris56000]

Hi!

I've noticed there seems to be no guard–barrier reflectors and no temporary edge–of–carriageway line either – I hate driving on.long sections of ALR/SM works delinated with all this rubbish and I'd much prefer a slower but safer journey along whatever all–purpose road alternatives there are!

Chris Williams

[Norfolktolancashire]

Hi!

I've noticed there seems to be no guard–barrier reflectors and no temporary edge–of–carriageway line either – I hate driving on.long sections of ALR/SM works delinated with all this rubbish and I'd much prefer a slower but safer journey along whatever all–purpose road alternatives there are!

Chris Williams

I'm seriously thinking of using the A49 route from the northwest to the Severn Bridges this time as I have no time limit and am fed up with the M6 roadworks (and M5 Oldbury works).

Last time I went north that way but it was after the Beast from the East and the road surface was b%ggered so not nice, and dangerous in the dark trying to avoid potholes the size of my car.

Now the Severn Bridges tolls have gone...any excuse!