
Bear Scotland will be carrying out surfacing improvements on a section on the A9 south of Pitlochry, with the works getting underway at 7pm tonight.
The £1.8 million improvement will address defects in the road surface on the southbound carriage way from Pitlochry to Ballinluig, creating a safer and smoother road surface.
Commenting on the improvements, Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Unit Representative, said: “We’ve taken steps to minimise disruption for motorists as much as possible during the improvements, including carrying out the works under a contraflow to keep the traffic moving. Given the nature of the works, the traffic management will vary at times so we would urge drivers to pay particular attention when travelling through the site and drive carefully.
“We thank motorists for their patience in advance while our teams carry out these essential improvements on the A9. We encourage road users to plan their journeys in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up to date traffic information and allow some extra time to reach their destination.”
To ensure the safety of roadworkers as well as motorists, the traffic management will be in place as follows:
Contraflow installation: Thursday 22 September – Sunday 25 September (four days)
- From 7pm on Thursday 22nd of September there will be lane closures on the A9 northbound and southbound whilst a small section of the East Haugh Junction central island and barriers are removed.
- From 7pm on Saturday 24th of September, a contraflow will be in place on the A9 southbound between Pitlochry and Ballinluig for traffic management teams to install everything required for the full two-way contraflow setup on the northbound carriageway.
- During the day on Sunday 25th of September there will be a northbound lane closure in place from the Ballinluig single carriageway section to the Pitlochry single carriageway section, with the full contraflow system installed by 7pm.
Contraflow traffic management: Sunday 25 September to Sunday 9 October (15 days)
- There will be a road closure on the A9 southbound from the Pitlochry southbound on-slip to the Ballinluig southbound off-slip, with all traffic running in contraflow on the A9 northbound carriageway.
- Both slip roads on the northbound and southbound carriageways at Pitlochry and Ballinluig will remain open with traffic joining/exiting the A9 as usual.
- For the A9 Pitlochry southbound on-slip and A9 Ballinluig northbound on-slip there will be a give way arrangement for traffic to join the A9.
Convoy traffic management: Sunday 9 October to Friday 14 October (six days)
- Lane two closures will be in place on the A9 northbound and southbound at the Moulinearn Junction whilst surfacing teams carry out works to the southbound right turn lane.
- Lane closures with convoy will be in place on the A9 southbound at the Ballinluig end of the site. No junctions will be affected whilst surfacing teams carry out these works.
Throughout the programme of works there will be several junctions affected and movements will be restricted. The junctions affected will be the East Haugh Junction and the Moulinearn Junction. The restrictions will be as follows:
East Haugh Junction, Saturday 24 to Sunday 9 October (16 days)
- Restrictions will affect A9 northbound traffic using the right turn lane and local traffic using the junction to head northbound or southbound on the A9. Signed diversion routes will be in place to guide motorists to their destination.
- A9 Southbound traffic will be able to access the junction via the East Haugh central crossover point from the contraflow on the northbound carriageway. This will be signed in advance of the junction.
Moulinearn Junction, Saturday 24 September to Friday 14 October (three weeks)
- Restrictions will affect A9 southbound traffic using the right turn lane and local traffic using the junction to head southbound on the A9. Signed diversion routes will be in place to guide motorists to their destination.
- Northbound traffic will be able to access and exit the Moulinearn junction as normal joining or leaving the northbound flow of traffic within the contraflow.
The Moulinearn bus stop located within layby 36 will be affected and Stagecoach have been consulted and alternative arrangements will be organised. All other laybys in the contraflow area will be closed for safety reasons.
Real-time journey planning information can be obtained by visiting www.traffic.gov.scot, twitter at @trafficscotland or via the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.