M2/A2/A299 Brenley Corner - HE promising improvements

[jackal]

I think I would put money on a left turn lane from the A2 to the M2 londonbound and closing off the local accesses (especially Brenley Lane) - and not much more.

How about something like this? More expensive but retains local access.

[Brenley Corner]

Yes, that would be fantastic and certainly solve the Londonbound problems. I think given the budgets available and that it may well be developer funded, we may end up with just a bit of widening, some better traffic lights, and some more white line paint.

Tony

[Brenley Corner]

.....and the improvements have been revealed as (surprise, surprise) more traffic lights: Local Article

Tony

[frediculous_biggs]

Well, that's disappointing. I suppose it will help, but the lights have to be right - otherwise the whole thing will be stuck in deadlock.

Apparently they're still looking at long term solutions, although we still have to wait until 2017/8 for these lights.

[Gareth Thomas]

In an ideal world this junction would be modelled that M2-A2 has the end-on connection rather than M2-A299, as it always seems when I use this junction that more traffic turns off for the A2 than stays on for the A299. Failing that the A404-style free flow links would be good.

But no, traffic lights. Hooray! I forsee more stop-starting and a 40/50mph limit for a mile or so before the roundabout on the A2.

[jackal]

In an ideal world this junction would be modelled that M2-A2 has the end-on connection rather than M2-A299, as it always seems when I use this junction that more traffic turns off for the A2 than stays on for the A299. Failing that the A404-style free flow links would be good.

But no, traffic lights. Hooray! I forsee more stop-starting and a 40/50mph limit for a mile or so before the roundabout on the A2.

Looks like higher volumes on A299 than A2:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/traffic-counts/cp ... Kent#26888
http://www.dft.gov.uk/traffic-counts/cp ... Kent#16096

I don't think the issue is that the junction is the wrong way round, the volumes are simply at a level where the M2 should freeflow onto both the A2 and A299.

[Brenley Corner]

And finally we have the proposal:

KENT ONLINE

Hardly worth waiting for!

Tony

[Bryn666]

Should have been a trumpet from day 1 with the A2 towards Faversham segregated from the main complex so the eventual dualling of the A2 and A299 could have happened.

I will draw something later

[c2R]

And finally we have the proposal:

KENT ONLINE

Hardly worth waiting for!

Tony

A whole short actual extra lane on the sliproad

I'm underwhelmed.

[jackal]

Should have been a trumpet from day 1 with the A2 towards Faversham segregated from the main complex so the eventual dualling of the A2 and A299 could have happened.

I will draw something later

With the A2 plus Brenley Lane and Homestall Lane it would be hard to accommodate all necessary movements without a roundabout.

The best solution is probably a semi-direct connector over the top of the roundabout eastbound (with the Canterbury road offslip moved out of the way), and a left turn filter lane westbound (either close Brenley Lane or bridge it like Handy Cross).

[Bryn666]

I had a look at a trumpet and decided I didn't like it so did this instead.

[jackal]

An elegant solution.

[Brenley Corner]

Looks very good; now the design just needs to be waved at the HE!!

[roadtester]

I had a look at a trumpet and decided I didn't like it so did this instead.

That's fantastic.

I've always thought that not having a free-flowing M2>A2 there is one of the most annoying things on the British network, although slightly more forgivable since the M20 clearly became the main route to the channel ports and the A299 was upgraded

[jackal]

Contra commentators AndyJ and Simon Berry on the Kent Online article, the A299 is the busier road - 45k vs 35k AADT, according to the nearest DFT count points.

The junction is the right way round, but simply not high enough capacity for the turning movements. This is a common problem for junctions between UK expressways.

[SteveA30]

What was the thinking in the early 60's? That the M20 was already set to be the main route to the ports? That the M2 was meant as the road to mostly the Thanet area?

[roadtester]

Contra commentators AndyJ and Simon Berry on the Kent Online article, the A299 is the busier road - 45k vs 35k AADT, according to the nearest DFT count points.

The junction is the right way round, but simply not high enough capacity for the turning movements. This is a common problem for junctions between UK expressways.

But would it have been back in the 60s/70s before the A299 was upgraded and the A2/M2 was seen as the main link to the Channel ports, not the A20/M20?

[mikehindsonevans]

What was the thinking in the early 60's? That the M20 was already set to be the main route to the ports? That the M2 was meant as the road to mostly the Thanet area?

Steve, certainly the delivered layout would support this theory. Surely the Romans had it right when they laid the spiritual predecessor to the A2?

As you will note from another thread, we have similar challenges at Winnall to the east of Winchester, where A34, M3J9, A31, A272, A33 and local traffic all fight it out on the Magic Roundabout of Consternation.

Mike

[jackal]

That cuts both ways - maybe the A299 was comparatively more important when holidaymakers would head to the North Kent coast rather than the Med? Not to mention that it will have been planned to take into account changes to the network over coming decades.

Brenley Corner is on the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership's wishlist: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-busine ... ad-119397/

[RichardA35]

..But would it have been back in the 60s/70s before the A299 was upgraded and the A2/M2 was seen as the main link to the Channel ports, not the A20/M20?

Rochester/Chatham and Canterbury unbypassed versus Maidstone and Ashford already bypassed although slightly longer - I suppose it would depend on where your journey started...