Masterton Junction

Overhead gantries on the southbound M90

Masterton Interchange is junction 2 of the M90, where it meets the short A823(M). It was previously signed as the Pitreavie Interchange, although it has always been referred to as the Masterton Interchange in official documents. It and Admiralty Junction were the first two motorway interchanges in Scotland, opening in September 1964. Owing to the history of the junction, it is effectively half a Whirlpool type junction, with the A823(M) heading west to meet the A823 and B980 at a roundabout less than a mile away. The sliproads are all built wide enough for two lanes of traffic, but with the exception of the long M90 northbound offslip, they have all been hatched down to a single lane after they split / before they merge.

History

Original proposal

The junction was part built in anticipation of the construction of the East Fife Regional Road, and was intended to be completed as a full, albeit somewhat squashed, Whirlpool interchange when the new road was built to the east. The M90 runs on a low viaduct section through the junction, and the A823(M) sliproads also have two overpasses, meaning that all of the bridges required for the additional slip roads were built to facilitate an easy completion of the junction. However, the decision to build the East Fife Regional Road on a more northerly alignment (the modern A92) meant the junction has remained incomplete ever since.

Forth Replacement Crossing scheme

Proposals for the Forth Replacement Crossing were made in the 2000s with various options for the tie in to the existing M90. In 2009 one of these involved removing the short weaving section between this junction and Admiralty Junction. The north facing slip roads at Admiralty Junction would be closed and a link would be provided from the A921 to a much improved Masterton Junction. This option wasn't proceeded with although the southbound hard shoulder through the junction was converted to a bus lane as part of the Forth Crossing works. Other than this the junction remains today as it did when first built over fifty years ago.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M90	Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Kirkcaldy (A92)
M90	Edinburgh
A823(M)	Dunfermline, Rosyth
EFRR	Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes