A9 - Berriedale Braes

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KeithW
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by KeithW »

haggishunter wrote:
Sussex_Wolf wrote:The scheme is an improvement certainly, but lacking the ambition that our European neighbours would apply to the same problem. The Norwegians would have built a beautiful flowing road all the way to Wick, and bored a tunnel to Orkney by now!
The estate on who's land a completely new alignment would have to pass commission some research into options a number of years ago and while there is still strong public support for a high level viaduct, the research indicated that it would very regularly be closed to High Sided vehicles due to topographic funnelling of the wind, thus the very vehicles that have the biggest problem with the braes and the hairpin bends would regularly have to use them when the viaduct was restricted.

Am slightly disappointed that the improvement that is planned isn't being done as 2+1 though.
While not ideal this would still be better than the current situation. 3 years ago I was stuck there for two hours after a caravan was clipped by a truck on the tightest hairpin.
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by The Devil's Armpit »

Sussex_Wolf wrote:The scheme is an improvement certainly, but lacking the ambition that our European neighbours would apply to the same problem. The Norwegians would have built a beautiful flowing road all the way to Wick, and bored a tunnel to Orkney by now!
Indeed, or maybe a Caledonian version of the Millau Viaduct towering above Berriedale like a shimmering gossamer fairy bridge. { Ooo, hark at me, I can get quite Byronesque at times after a few beers]

Gone are the days of innovative Scottish transport infrastructure like the Glenfinnan Viaduct and The Forth Rail Bridge.
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by Glen »

Following the pubic inquiry, the Scottish Government have given the go-ahead for the planned upgrade at Berriedale.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-38390654
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by clc »

Glen wrote:Following the pubic inquiry, the Scottish Government have given the go-ahead for the planned upgrade at Berriedale.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-38390654
The budget document stated that procurement would start in 2017/18 subject to completion of statutory procedures.
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by c2R »

Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by clc »

Full steam ahead with procurement then!
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

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Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by clc »

Procurement started today! :D
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by rachandsarai »

Glen wrote:
rileyrob wrote:Whilst an exact location doesn't seem to have been reported in the press as yet, local information is that it was a local haulier on the steep hill at Berriedale.
The accident with the Cormack's truck was at the bend at the bottom of the south hill, right under the escape lane.

Given they had passed the escape lane, I would suggest that driver error was more likely than mechanical failure, although I expect an FAI will find out in more detail what the cause was likely to have been.

Berriedale acident.jpg
Oh I remember when that happened. Never saw the lorry but I saw when I went past it few years back on where the lorry had tipped over. I can't remember was it when the traffic lights stopped working that one-time and the comes were still there?
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by David D Miller »

Contract awarded for improvement to the hairpin. Construction expected to start later this year and complete in 2020.
https://www.scottishconstructionnow.com ... nt-project
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by rachandsarai »

This is the route map for Berriedale. Sorry it's a long link from Facebook but it shows what the road will look like plus labels saying what parts are what.
http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2 ... ScmcRA&s=1
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IAN
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by IAN »

I've heard that one lane is now open, controlled by temporary lights?
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by rachandsarai »

IAN wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2020 00:01 I've heard that one lane is now open, controlled by temporary lights?
Yeah it's 1 lane only on the new road with temporary traffic signals.
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IAN
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by IAN »

https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/ne ... ay-209915/

Now officially open. Obviously an improvement but it still seems like a rather sharp bend. I wonder if a bridge across the valley such as at Dunbeath would be feasible? (though costly!)
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by rachandsarai »

IAN wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2020 23:18 https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/ne ... ay-209915/

Now officially open. Obviously an improvement but it still seems like a rather sharp bend. I wonder if a bridge across the valley such as at Dunbeath would be feasible? (though costly!)
Great to hear about that. Hopefully I get to try the road out at some point. That would cost more money for a bridge though
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by Glen »

Some photos from February 2019, prior to construction work starting.

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Last edited by Glen on Wed Sep 02, 2020 23:00, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by Truvelo »

I noticed the aerial photo you posted in the wiki the other day shows the layby is now on the same side of the road as the cemetery. This is something lacking before. The directly overhead view also shows how much larger the radius is than the old curve, something the ground level shots don't really show.
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Re: A9 - Berriedale Braes

Post by orudge »

IAN wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2020 23:18 Now officially open. Obviously an improvement but it still seems like a rather sharp bend. I wonder if a bridge across the valley such as at Dunbeath would be feasible? (though costly!)
I’m sure I read plans for a bridge that were discarded at a fairly early stage due to the significant cost compared to this option.
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