Inverness west link

[Euan]

Looking on maps today i noticved [gmap]https://goo.gl/maps/8aAhUE74GBq[/gmap]. The stub off the roundabout appears to involve a new bridge and road across the golf course. Is the current swing bridge being replaced, or merely near life expired and they are doing a 'Forth replacement crossing' style diversion then refurb of old bridge for busses only/redundancy?

The old bridge is to stay as is and will not be replaced. The new bridge that's to be built will be an alternative bridge that can be used while the other bridge is swung open to allow boats to pass through in the canal. There will be enough space between the two bridges for a boat to sit between them while both of them are closed, so it means that at any given time there will be at least one bridge open to traffic on the A82 crossing the canal without potentially having to wait for a boat to pass through.

[Altnabreac]

Looking on maps today i noticved [gmap]https://goo.gl/maps/8aAhUE74GBq[/gmap]. The stub off the roundabout appears to involve a new bridge and road across the golf course. Is the current swing bridge being replaced, or merely near life expired and they are doing a 'Forth replacement crossing' style diversion then refurb of old bridge for busses only/redundancy?

As Euan says the second bridge is to provide redundancy and allow opening of the bridge without disrupting road traffic.

The fact it crosses the Golf Course is the reason why the Phase 2 works of the second bridge and new road have not yet commenced. The redesign of the golf course is currently underway and until it moves to its new clubhouse and fairways further to the west in spring 2019 the road and bridge cannot be constructed.

General Booth Road will also be realigned slightly eastwards to meet the new roundabout just by the Premier Inn as part of the Phase 2 works.

Diagram on Page 7 of this handout is the best one to see the new layout clearly:
https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/f ... on_handout

[Glen]

There have been further planning applications submitted in relation to Phase 2 with a slight alteration to the road layout, the canal access for Jacobite Cruises and the rowing club will form a fifth exit on Torvean Roundabout, rather than joining the road between the roundabout and swing bridge at a T junction.

The plans confirm that the new swing bridge and Queens Park Roundabout will be part of the trunk road and signed as part of the A82.

https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applica ... CZ3IHJ5A00
https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applica ... AKUIHK7800

[Euan]

It does make sense for the A8082 between the Tomnahurich and Queens Park roundabouts to become part of the A82 along with the new bridge if the plan is to keep at least one bridge down while boats are passing through the canal.

The signage suggests that there are currently no plans to upgrade the C1118 (General Booth Rd/King Brude Rd) to an A road or B road.

[Glen]

[Glen]

[Glen]

[Glen]

[Altnabreac]

Making the Jacobite access directly off the Roundabout is an excellent idea and simplifies the road layout. Can't see anything to dislike in these plans to be honest.

[Glen]

Construction of Phase 2 of the West Link is to commence in May, with the contract being awarded to RJ MacLeod.

https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/articl ... e_2_begins

[Berk]

A question. Why are the following not co-signed in Gaelic:

-“Alternative route”;
- the name of the roundabout/junction??

If places are significant enough to be translated, why not supporting information too??

[Euan]

That's a good question. "City centre" is shown in Gaelic, so it is inconsistent not to show "Alternative route" in Gaelic as well. However, the alternative route is unlike the city centre not an actual destination and is just a description which could be why it is only shown on the sign in English.

[Berk]

I also note quite a significant deviation from Irish. City Centre is normally signed as An Lar, meaning the same, rather than ‘middle of the town’.

Perhaps that’s just my reading of it...

[Bryn666]

I still can't believe engineering drawings were done in Comic Sans.

That's before you get to the design issues of the actual signs.

[Glen]

Panorama photo showing the current construction progress on the SABRE Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/19513618438348 ... 221715245/

[SteelCamel]

The new swing bridge is now in place. A couple of (not very good) pictures here. It looks rather different to the other bridges on the canal, with railings rather than solid sides, and the footpaths cantilevered out from the sides. It looks pretty much complete. The barriers and wig-wags are in place too (rather disconcertingly, the barriers are raised despite the bridge being open - though it's well fenced off).

[Glen]

Here's a selection of photos taken throughout the construction, over the past two years.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/inverness_trucker/60ib28

[Glen]

Some photos taken today.

[vlad]

Are the gaps in the signs for VMSs (or something) to be installed?

Given that there are two separate swing bridges over the canal, I'm foreseeing that only one will be swung open to allow boats to pass at any one time, so traffic can use the other - and the VMS will advise which way to go. That's a good idea, so is it wishful thinking?

[Glen]

Yes, the signs will contain VMS panels, so when either bridge is in operation the signs will display "road open" and "road closed" messages accordingly.