| As the new academic term begins on Monday, major roadworks will begin in the West End and works that have already brought the Kingsway to a crawl are set to intensify.
The roadworks at the Forfar Road junction started in February as part of a 32-week operation to transform the double roundabout into the Kingsway’s first set of traffic lights.
It is part of the traffic upgrade needed because of the opening of the new Morrisons supermarket, which opened in October last year.
Although contractors Malcolm Construction Services have been trying to keep their work to off-peak times, they are being forced to close the outside northbound lane for most of next week.
“We have tried not to do this and stick to only off peak closure,” said a spokeswoman.
“We can’t go any faster as each layer needs to set before we apply the next.
“We apologise for this inconvenience.”
Work on excavating and rebuilding the carriageway will begin after rush hour on Monday morning.
The following week contractors will start closing a section of the Kingsway each night to allow them to raise the height of the road.
Because of the high volume of traffic on the road, it would be impossible to carry out the work during the day so, for 16 consecutive nights, the Kingsway will be closed from the Old Glamis Road junction to the Forfar Road junction and then down Forfar Road to the Claverhouse junction.
A diversion will be set up around Caird Park to deal with the trunk road traffic.
The work will begin at 7.30 pm on Monday, April 21.
It will continue for 16 nights.
The road will be re-opened every morning at 6 am.
Once the work is completed, the junction will still operate as a roundabout but it will be smaller than before.
Splitter islands will direct traffic to the correct lane.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the city council has warned the southern section of Glamis Road, between Blackness Road and Perth Road, will be closed for a fortnight for reconstruction and resurfacing.
The second week of the work will overlap with the start of the closure of a large section of Perth Road for the replacement of a gas main — a project that will last for several months.
The knock-on effect is likely to be an increase of traffic using Blackness Road, Hawkhill and Riverside Drive as alternative routes to and from the city centre.
Signs have already been put in place in Glamis Road cautioning drivers to expect delays when the work starts on Monday.
Drivers will still be able to use the Glamis Road/Blackness Road roundabout to get to and from the northern section of Glamis Road, running past Balgay cemetery.
However, temporary traffic lights will be in place at the roundabout and queues are likely to build up at peak times.
There will be no access from the roundabout to the southern end of Glamis Road or to Glamis Drive to the west and traffic will be diverted via Perth Road and Ninewells Avenue.
A spokesman said, “Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the duration of the works and the city council apologises for any inconvenience caused by the necessary closure.”
On April 21, the Perth Road closure will begin and is expected to last for about 24 weeks.
Scotland Gas Networks is spending £400,000 to replace 1.4km of gas main.
The first section of the project takes place between Paton’s Lane and Roseangle and is expected to last until at least late July, possibly into mid-August, depending upon progress.
The road will be closed in both directions.
Once that section is complete, the work moves on to the stretch between Roseangle and South Tay Street for around nine weeks, with a ban on westbound traffic only.
Access to and from Perth Road into various side streets will be affected, as will parking along Perth Road.
SGN said, “All shops and businesses will be open as usual.
“Access for pedestrians and deliveries will be maintained, although there may be restrictions at times.
“We shall continue to work with the local authority, bus companies and the local community during the course of the project.
“Information signs will be placed at strategic locations to warn road users of the work.”
The official diversion is along Hawkhill and the gas main project is expected to be completed by the end of September. |
