M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

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jusme
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by jusme »

Northbound contraflow now being removed at the northern end of J14-J15, down to just under 5 miles (from 11). Some overnight closures signed, so guess we'll be seeing some southbound contraflow action very soon :shock:

Noticed that there aren't many "hockey puck" gantries for the MS4s on this section - but a lot of box gantries:

vlcsnap-2020-01-05-18h29m48s555.jpg

Wondering if hockey puck ones will spring up later (being easier to install?) of if there's a change of style on this section?

Also what looks like lighting columns around J15:

vlcsnap-2020-01-05-18h41m34s285.jpg
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Chris5156
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by Chris5156 »

jusme wrote: Sun Jan 05, 2020 18:38Noticed that there aren't many "hockey puck" gantries for the MS4s on this section - but a lot of box gantries
Wondering if hockey puck ones will spring up later (being easier to install?) of if there's a change of style on this section?
Are there any hockey puck supports at all? I don’t think any other current or recent Smart Motorway schemes have installed them - they’re all the new boxy type that allow maintenance without closing a lane below.
jusme
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by jusme »

Chris5156 wrote: Sun Jan 05, 2020 22:39 Are there any hockey puck supports at all? I don’t think any other current or recent Smart Motorway schemes have installed them - they’re all the new boxy type that allow maintenance without closing a lane below.
No I haven't seen any installed on this section.

Makes sense, just surprised at the contrast with the recently completed J16-J19, which is hockey puck all the way.
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Big L
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

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Hockey puck?
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rw93
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by rw93 »

Big L wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 07:04Hockey puck?
I would assume they meant "hockey stick"!

Like this type:
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https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... le:MS4.jpg
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

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That makes more sense.
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by ChrisH »

rw93 wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 08:20
Big L wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 07:04Hockey puck?
I would assume they meant "hockey stick"!

Like this type:
Image
https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... le:MS4.jpg
The M4 smart motorway is having this type installed. But with enormous concrete footings which the previous iterations somehow got away without.
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

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ChrisH wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 13:06 The M4 smart motorway is having this type installed. But with enormous concrete footings which the previous iterations somehow got away without.
I'm glad I haven't being going mad, as I thought they were reusing the old MS4 hockey stick brackets for the new signs but the concrete base has seemed to treble in size
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by ScottB5411 »

A303Chris wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 14:19
ChrisH wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 13:06 The M4 smart motorway is having this type installed. But with enormous concrete footings which the previous iterations somehow got away without.
I'm glad I haven't being going mad, as I thought they were reusing the old MS4 hockey stick brackets for the new signs but the concrete base has seemed to treble in size
A with that, likely in cost too
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by Bryn666 »

A303Chris wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 14:19
ChrisH wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 13:06 The M4 smart motorway is having this type installed. But with enormous concrete footings which the previous iterations somehow got away without.
I'm glad I haven't being going mad, as I thought they were reusing the old MS4 hockey stick brackets for the new signs but the concrete base has seemed to treble in size
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by rw93 »

There is a southbound contraflow now in place between just before J15 and Yarnfield, this is now where the northbound contraflow also ends.
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jackal
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

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HE aren't too happy with the spiralling costs and have sent in the counter fraud team :shock:

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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by Big L »

Northbound, after j14, the signs still instruct j15 traffic to use lanes 1+2, despite the contraflow lane now ending fully four miles before j15.
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brummie_rob
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by brummie_rob »

An increased speed limit of 60mph is now in place from around Yarnfield to J15 on the Northbound side. Not many seemed to notice but it was a pleasant surprise so early on still (and with the contraflow still running).
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by mikehindsonevans »

Nightmare journey last night from Cheshire to Cambridge. Joining at M6j18, matrix signs indicated "one hour delay j11 to j10". Other signs recommended southbound drivers to leave at j15 and take the A50.

I saw East Midlands Airport (wow, those M1 junctions 24A and 23A have changed) thence south to Catthorpe and onto the A14. Then off at A14j13 and north to Peterborough, down The A1M(four lanes AND a hard shoulder!) before the final closure around Madingley.

These roads will be great when construction is completed.
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by Jeni »

mikehindsonevans wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2020 22:33 Nightmare journey last night from Cheshire to Cambridge. Joining at M6j18, matrix signs indicated "one hour delay j11 to j10". Other signs recommended southbound drivers to leave at j15 and take the A50.

I saw East Midlands Airport (wow, those M1 junctions 24A and 23A have changed) thence south to Catthorpe and onto the A14. Then off at A14j13 and north to Peterborough, down The A1M(four lanes AND a hard shoulder!) before the final closure around Madingley.

These roads will be great when construction is completed.
Was this relevant to the 13-15 smart motorway project? I'm struggling to see the connection?

11-10 isn't due to have any further work beyond its existing smart motorway status that I'm aware of?
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by mikehindsonevans »

Sorry, brain fade. My point was that all the technology worked, so that motorists had other route options for the long distance run past Brum - and without too much time sitting in the M6 contraflow.
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by Norfolktolancashire »

brummie_rob wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2020 21:31 An increased speed limit of 60mph is now in place from around Yarnfield to J15 on the Northbound side. Not many seemed to notice but it was a pleasant surprise so early on still (and with the contraflow still running).
Has that section of northbound carriageway been "completed" in that has it got a new surface and wider lanes? Or is this section of 60mph an experiment?
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by brummie_rob »

It's completed but no more than before Christmas, it has a resurfaced lane one and emergency refuges (some coned off) and the lane three is marginally wider perhaps. However there is a contraflow lane running which is why I was surprised.
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Re: M6 junction 13 to junction 15 smart motorway

Post by Bendo »

mikehindsonevans wrote: Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:01 Sorry, brain fade. My point was that all the technology worked, so that motorists had other route options for the long distance run past Brum - and without too much time sitting in the M6 contraflow.
Great, technology to tell people there is congestion something we have had for at least 10 years and is pretty much obsolete with connected sat navs, I'd always do what Google Maps suggests rather than what is on the VMS as I've a lot more faith in Googles knowledge of what speed traffic is flowing at.
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