A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

[Herned]

Excellent... On the subject of the A303, this will mean around 30 years has gone between improvements, have any other such important routes gone so long between anything changing?

[Richardf]

Excellent... On the subject of the A303, this will mean around 30 years has gone between improvements, have any other such important routes gone so long between anything changing?

The A1 has taken longer from the first dualling to where we are now. Does that count?

[hoagy_ytfc]

Excellent... On the subject of the A303, this will mean around 30 years has gone between improvements, have any other such important routes gone so long between anything changing?

The A1 has taken longer from the first dualling to where we are now. Does that count?

No, cos it's had loads of other improvements in the meantime.

Having said that, when was the short A303 section just east of Chicklade dualled? It must be more recent than suggested by "30 years", yeah?

Edit: Oh, and the Zeals bypass was in the 90s.

[jackal]

The widening and grade separation around Tintinhull and Stoke-sub-Hamdon would also be 90s.

[Herned]

South Petherton to Ilchester was open around 1988 and Zeals in 1991 I think.

The section after Chicklade with its odd failure to connect to the section past Wylye I forgot about, that is mid-90s. So around 1 mile of dualling in nearly 30 years is still pretty poor!

[SteveA30]

The dates I have are:-
Ilminster bp 19-7-88
Horton bp 23-8-88
Sparkford bp 25-7-89
Ilchester bp - Ilminster bp dualling 12-90
Stockton Hill dualling extension 1991
Zeals and Bourton bp 13-7-92. I was there for that one, same day as A358 Ashill bp opening.

[jackal]

Good to know, Steve.

[Richardf]

South Petherton to Ilchester Dualing was early 1990s. I remember the dualling work quite well. Can't really describe it as 'grade separating' though given the at grade junctions on that section!

[Herned]

Thanks for confirming Steve. So I should have said 26 years with no improvements. I know it’s a consequence of Stonehenge really but it’s still pretty poor for a major route

[RichardA35]

Oh, for the Wessex Link DBFO that was planned to mop these sections up 20 years ago.....

[jackal]

Statutory consultation now open: https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.co ... sultation/ You can see the detailed plan here: https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.co ... 20Plan.pdf

Looks like the B3151 will have a compact GSJ, while the A359 GSJ is built to full standards, but still rather squashed in with what looks like simple priority junctions. Neither are busy roads so I wouldn't really want them to spend extra money on the layouts.

The existing road is retained immediately east of the current B3151 junction, but there is no consistent LAR route so this is another current expressway scheme that probably would not allow redesignation to Ax(M).

[Fenlander]

Excellent... On the subject of the A303, this will mean around 30 years has gone between improvements, have any other such important routes gone so long between anything changing?

The A17 Holbeach bypass T-junction with the A151 opened in 1989, it was finally replaced with the roundabout that should really have been there from day 1 last month.

[RichardA35]

....there is no consistent LAR route so this is another current expressway scheme that probably would not allow redesignation to Ax(M).

The petrol station and diner are left up a dead end as well.

[Herned]

The petrol station and diner are left up a dead end as well.

Odd, not sure why that section up the hill couldn't have been kept as the westbound on-slip at least.

The skew angle of the bridge there seems a strange choice, surely much more expensive than a 90 degree bridge and conventional dumbbell layout?

[jackal]

The bridges at both GSJs are skewed, which is a bit surprising.

[Richardf]

Don't like the junction at Sparkford. Seems too stretched out and over complicated and apart from the roundabout makes litle use of existing infrastructure.

I would have thought there was room for a simple dumbell using the existing road as an onslip. The planned WB on slip look unnesesarily tight .

[Phil]

Don't like the junction at Sparkford. Seems too stretched out and over complicated and apart from the roundabout makes litle use of existing infrastructure.

I would have thought there was room for a simple dumbell using the existing road as an onslip. The planned WB on slip look unnesesarily tight .

I think the idea is to try and prevent the need for additional local access roads. The chosen arrangement effectively has one road act as both a slip road from the A303 and a way of tieing up local roads that the scheme severs.

[jackal]

Yes, land take is much lower than if they had a full dumbbell with separate LAR. It's perfectly sensible given the low turning volumes.

[Richardf]

Don't like the junction at Sparkford. Seems too stretched out and over complicated and apart from the roundabout makes litle use of existing infrastructure.

I would have thought there was room for a simple dumbell using the existing road as an onslip. The planned WB on slip look unnesesarily tight .

I think the idea is to try and prevent the need for additional local access roads. The chosen arrangement effectively has one road act as both a slip road from the A303 and a way of tieing up local roads that the scheme severs.

Can see why they are doing it, just looks a bit messy that's all. Also means parts of sliproads being two way to allow the local access. Though isn't it a bit wasteful not using the old road up to the diner as part of the slip road/local access network of the junction?

[Richardf]

Had a quick go at my own version in paint. Bit basic but should be clear. Top image the HE plan, bottom is mine! I think it would be simpler and do the same job. Same amount of land take i reckon too. Green A303, Orange local access.