A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam - Construction update - Autumn 2021

At the onset of the autumn period, the works across the project were substantially complete, and the team celebrated the road being opened to four lanes of traffic at the end of August 2021. Road users were able to enjoy driving on the new A9 dual carriageway for the first time without the traffic management and speed restriction that had been in place since February 2019.

Following the opening of the road, the project team turned its attention to the completion of landscaping and minor remaining works on side roads, which included drainage, fencing and utility works. Although minor in nature, these finishing works can be time consuming to complete on a project of this scale and continued throughout October and November 2021.

The project team also completed the installation of the Intelligent Transport Systems which combines information, communication and technology to provide road users with real-time journey information helping to improve the operational efficiency of the new trunk road.

This addition will be a significant improvement along the A9 corridor, especially in summer months when traffic volumes are higher due to tourists visiting the Scottish Highlands.

Another important area of finishing works concerned the installation of fibre optic cables which run the length of the project site. These cables provide broadband and telephone communications to the many businesses and residents which surround the project. One of the final jobs following construction of the new road was to connect these new cables to the existing telecoms network at either end of the works.

Away from the construction, the project welcomed the now former Transport Minister Graeme Dey to site at the end of September 2021. Mr Dey met with project partners and members of local community organisations to celebrate the delivery of a wide range of community benefits to the people of Perthshire throughout the project’s construction period.

Stanley Development Trust and charity, Cycling Without Age Scotland, were joined by Mr Dey on trishaws as they explored some of the 4 km of non-motorised users paths, constructed as part of project.

The landscaping works were progressed throughout late autumn and into early winter. These works included grass cutting, landscape preparation and planting of new vegetation to various areas of the site, remote from the A9 carriageways. The planting of new vegetation commenced at the start of the planting season in November, to ensure the new plants/shrubs have the best opportunity to establish.

Following completion of the construction phase, landscaping operations continued throughout January 2022. The contractor will continue to oversee the remaining planting and landscaping maintenance until December 2026.