Fears of August chaos with multi-site resurfacing on Dalwhinnie roads
The alarm has gone up in Badenoch with the sudden announcement of 25-day major roadworks on the A889, starting on August 20.
"The need for the repairs is not in question," said a Laggan Community Council spokesperson today, "but the timing is certainly not great during what is left of the tourist season.
"And goodness knows what will happen if there is any need to close the A9 between Dalwhinnie and Kingussie, given recent accidents, with this 'standard' diversion route closed."
The watchdog group have not even had time to convene yet to discuss the expected disruption at such a significant time of the year.
"Should any resident wish to make a comment on this consultation directly to BEAR, please do so and copy in
secretarylcc@laggan.com"
The notice came late yesterday afternoon, with a consultation letter from Transport Scotland's roads contractors.
Essential road improvements including five surfacing schemes on the A889 single carriageway between Dalwhinnie
and Laggan will get underway on the night of Sunday, August 20 for 25 nights.
The carriageway improvement works commencing on the Sunday will be to resurface a total of 3600 metres of the A889 carriageway between the five sites (A889 Scriob Ruadh & A889 South of Allt Breakachy Bridge – South of Catlodge and A889 Dalwhinnie, A889 Dalwhinnie Distillery and A889/A9 Dalwhinnie Junction), creating safer journeys for motorists.
All improvements for both schemes will be completed by 6am on Friday 22nd September. There will be no works on Friday or Saturday nights throughout the works.
Schemes 1 & 2 - A889 Scriob Ruadh + A889 South of Allt Breakachy Bridge (Surfacing, Lining & Civils):
From August 20 for 15 nights, between 7pm and 6am, the A889 single carriageway between the north of Dalwhinnie and south of Catlodge will be subject to a night time Road Closure with Diversion.
A soft closure will be in place at both ends of the closure to allow access so far along the A889, firstly at the southern
end of the scheme between the A9/A889 Dalwhinnie Junction and the A889 Crubenmore Junction just north of
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Dalwhinnie, and then secondly at the northern end of the scheme between the Glentruim/Catlodge Junction and the
A889/A86 Laggan Junction.
The A889 will be fully closed for the carriageway improvements between the Crubenmore Junction (just north of
Dalwhinnie) and the Glentruim/Catlodge Junction with access only for local residents, emergency services and works
traffic.
Both ends of the closure will be manned.
Schemes 3, 4 & 5 - A889 Dalwhinnie + A889 Dalwhinnie Distillery + A889/A9 Dalwhinnie Junction (Surfacing & Lining): from Sunday September10 to Friday morning September 22 (10 nights), between 7pm and 6am, the A889 single carriageway between the A9/A889 Dalwhinnie Junction and Crubenmore Junction (just north of Dalwhinnie) will be subject to a night time Road Closure with Diversion.
A soft closure will only be in place at the northern end of Dalwhinnie to allow access so far along the A889, the soft Closure will be between the A889/A86 Laggan Junction and the A889 Crubenmore Junction just north of Dalwhinnie.
The A889 will be fully closed for the carriageway improvements between the Crubenmore Junction (just north of
Dalwhinnie) and the A9/A889 Dalwhinnie Junction with access only for local residents, emergency services and
works traffic. Both ends of the closure will be manned.
Throughout the carriageway improvements for traffic that uses the A889 to get from the A9 across to the A86, a
signed diversion route will be in place to guide motorists around the closures/works on the A889.
The diversion route will be in place from the A9/A889 Dalwhinnie Junction, diverting traffic north on the A9 towards
Kingussie. At the A9 Kingussie Junction, traffic will then exit the A9 onto the A86 via the northbound Kingussie off
slip.
At the end of the Kingussie northbound off slip traffic will then be diverted west towards Kingussie/Newtonmore.
Traffic will then travel westbound through Kingussie, through Newtonmore and then onto Laggan where the diversion route ends at the A86/A889 Junction.
The diversion route is the opposite for traffic that would use the A889 to get from the A86 across to the A9.
Outwith working hours, the TM will be lifted after each shift, during the day a 30mph speed limit will be left in place due to running on a temporary surface and the presence of ramps.
Access through the works site for emergency services will be maintained at all times.
"Please note that the above times are the maximum available working window, and we will endeavour to complete
works each night as quickly and safely as possible," said Mark Gibbs, assistant planned maintenance manager for BEAR Scotland.
"Throughout the works there will be levels of construction noise emanating from site construction plant, this will be
kept to a minimum whenever possible.
"We understand works of this nature can be disruptive and have planned works to minimise disruption as far as
possible.
"We thank you in advance for your patience whilst these works are carried out.
"The traffic management arrangements are essential for ensuring the safety of road workers and motorists. We have
scheduled the works to take place at a quieter time of year, before the busy tourism season begins and after winter
to avoid delays due to bad weather where we can."