Repairs to Dalwhinnie road will be a first for the UK

A trunk road in Badenoch is to become the first in the whole of the UK to be resurfaced using a method typically used on airfields.

Carriageway improvements to the A889 through Dalwhinnie will use Smooth Ride technology and start on Monday 30 September for 20 nights.

The pioneering approach involves using lasers to scan the existing road surface in advance, allowing BEAR Scotland to optimise the resurfacing to achieve a more even road surface.

A BEAR Scotland spokesperson said: “This produces a smoother road surface which can be difficult to achieve when resurfacing old roads, use less bituminous material and will help the drainage of water off the road.”

The project will be undertaken by Breedon Trading Ltd and is due to be completed by 6am on Saturday 26 October.

All surfacing works will be done between Sunday and Thursday nights, 7pm to 6am with road marking completing the project on the night of Friday 25 October.

The road will fully re-open each day outwith working hours.

To ensure the safety of the workforce and road users, the road will be closed overnight between the A9 and A889 Dalwhinnie junction and the A889 Crubenmore Junction just north of the railway bridge and Dalwhinnie Distillery.

A9 traffic that would usually travel on the A889 will be guided by a signed diversion route through Kingussie, Newtonmore and Laggan, and vice versa for A86 traffic.

Access will be maintained at all times during the night time road closure for emergency services, residents and visitors.

Ian Stewart, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “This crucial surfacing project on the A889 through Dalwhinnie will fix existing defects and significantly enhance the driving experience for all road users.

“BEAR Scotland is excited to utilise Smooth Ride technology, a first for UK trunk roads.

“This process creates a more even road surface which will help drainage of the road in this location and reduce the amount of bituminous material used and therefore the carbon footprint.

“The trial will consider whether there would be benefits to using the system on future projects across the trunk road network.

“Our teams will do all they can to complete the works as quickly and safely as they can.

“We thank the local community and road users for their patience while we complete the improvements.”

Operatives will be positioned at each end of the work site to safely escort residents and visitors to their destination within Dalwhinnie through the live works zone where surfacing will be taking place.

In addition there will be signs at accesses and junctions with a phone number to ring for residents and customers leaving the village so that an operative can escort road users safely out of the site.

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