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Inshes Junction

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Inshes Junction
Location Map ( geo)
A9 closed at Inverness.jpg
The junction in Winter
Cameraicon.png View gallery (9)
Location
Inverness
County
Inverness-shire
Highway Authority
Transport Scotland
Roads Joined
A9, A8082, B9006
Junctions related to the A8082
Junctions related to the B9006
Junctions related to the Highland Tourist Route

This is a complex junction incorporating the Inshes Roundabout outside Tesco, and two spurs to provide access to the A9. The northbound A9 is served by a spur directly from the roundabout, with a LiLo junction on to the A9. This part of the junction functions comparatively well, although the same cannot always be said for the other half. Southbound traffic has to detour along the B9006 to cross the A9 and so reaches a set of slow traffic lights at a crossroads to access the spur to the A9. Despite recent upgrades and capacity improvements related to the construction of the new college site, in peak times, traffic leaving the A9 can still be queued back almost to the Raigmore Interchange to the north.

Returning to the roundabout, this is a 6 arm junction where the A8082 and B9006 cross. The fifth arm is the access to the Inshes Retail Park, particularly the Tesco store which sits alongside the roundabout, whilst the final exit is the much quieter access to the regional Police Headquarters and neighbouring housing estate. The presence of Raigmore Hospital a short distance to the west on the B9006 also means that a lot of traffic heading for the hospital has to negotiate this junction. With so many exits, and so much traffic, lane management on the approaches is critical, but for those unaccustomed to the junction it is easy to find yourself in the wrong lane, and so incur the wrath of other motorists.

History

The line of the B9006 is the old route of the A9 here, which also used the existing southbound slips for the new dual carriageway, the current overbridge having been built offline to the north. When Originally built the junction was a staggered cross roads with a small gap in the middle of the A9. Unsurprisingly this didnt last long and the bridge over the A9 was built circa 1982.

The other part of the old A9 is now abandoned, running alongside the entrance to Tesco. However, before the construction of the A8082 and retail park, this was the northbound A9 sliproads, the current ones being built as part of the new road, sometime after the 1988 OS Landranger map was produced.

Future

This junction is likely to be redeveloped in the future, with plans for the new road from Inshes on to the A96 at the Eastfield Way Retail Park progressing. The current construction of the West Link to the south, taking the A8082 across the River Ness and Canal to the A82 on the southern edge of the city will also change the flows of traffic at this junction, opening up new routes to the retail parks and Hospital from the south. One of the older proposals would have seen the Tesco Store being demolished to make way for the new road - perhaps why the plan hasn't come to fruition yet!

The current plans are less severe, and include a variety of options. The dualled A9-A96 link has been dropped, but a new single carriageway 'development' road is likely to be built, from a revised Inshes junction across to the Inverness Retail Park Roundabout on the A96. Only one of the options still under consideration seems to see any of the existing slips replaced, and that only for the southbound slips. All the other designs see the junction improved by the construction of an additional A9 overbridge to the south to reduce the traffic flow over the existing structure.

Routes

Route To Notes

A9

Perth

A9

Wick, Inverness, Ft. William (A82), Ullapool (A835)

A8082

Hilton, Cultduthel formerly B8082

B9006

Culloden, Croy

B9006

Culcabock, Raigmore Hospital, Kingsmills
Inshes Retail Park
Police HQ, Drakies




Inshes Junction
Related Pictures
View gallery (9)
A9 closed at Inverness.jpgInshes junction.jpgInshes Phase 2 improvement scheme sign.jpgA9 from an Angle in Inverness.jpgInshes Roundabout - A8082 NB ADS.jpg
Junctions on the A9
Falkirk to DunblaneCadgers Brae Roundabout  • Icehouse Brae Roundabout  • Bog Roundabout  • Westfield Roundabout  • Etna Road Roundabout  • Abbots Road Roundabout  • Abbotsford Park Roundabout  • Mungalend Roundabout  • Merchiston Roundabout  • Rosebank Roundabout  • Camelon Roundabout  • Glenbervie Interchange  • Greencornhills Roundabout  • St Ninians Roundabout  • Linden Ave Roundabout • Craigs Roundabout • Customs Roundabout  • Causewayhead Roundabout  • Airthrey Roundabout  • Wallace Roundabout
Dunblane to PerthKeir Roundabout  • Dunblane West  • Dunblane North  • Greenloaning  • Loaninghead  • Auchterarder  • Aberuthven  • Dunning  • Broxden Roundabout • St. Johnstone Interchange • Inveralmond Roundabout
Perth to AviemoreLuncarty Bridge • Bankfoot • Little Dunkeld Junctions  • Ballinluig Junction • Moulinearn • Pitlochry South • Pitlochry North • Bruar  • Calvine • Trinafour • Wade Bridge Junction • Ralia  • Kingussie Interchange
Aviemore to ToreLynwilg  • Granish • Carrbridge • Tomatin • Milton of Leys  • Inshes  • Raigmore Interchange • Longman Roundabout  • North Kessock  • Munlochy  • Tore Roundabout
Tore to ThursoDuncanston Crossroads  • Ardullie Roundabout • Evanton • Struie • Dalmore • Kildary  • Nigg Roundabout  • Tain • Glenmorangie • Meikle Ferry Roundabout • Clashmore • Evelix • The Mound • Helmsdale • Latheron • Mybster Crossroads • Georgemas  • Thurso
Junctions on the A8082 Inverness Southern Distributor Road
Inshes Junction  • Dellfield Roundabout  • Wades Roundabout  • Slackbuie Roundabout  • Gaelic School Roundabout  • Leys Roundabout  • Culduthel Mains Road Roundabout  • Essich Roundabout  • Holm Roundabout • Ness Side Roundabout  • Mill Lade Roundabout • Queens Park Roundabout • Tomnahurich Roundabout  • Torvean Roundabout


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