New southbound slip road to open to traffic
Driving south from Stonehaven is expected to become easier from this weekend when a new slip road built as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project opens to traffic.
The slip road is being made available to road users, under traffic management (temporary traffic signals), to minimise any inconvenience while the demolition and reconstruction of the existing A90 road bridge at Stonehaven takes place.
It is expected that access to the slip road will help to ease traffic flows in the area until works on the junction are fully complete. The new slip road will be subject to periodic off-peak closures to allow some works at the Stonehaven Junction to progress.
The existing slip road for road users heading north will remain open.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:
“We expect this new slip road to reduce the levels of traffic within Stonehaven, particularly at peak times, because it provides road users with an additional option for their journey. Road users who previously had to drive through Stonehaven, will now be able to join the A90 sooner, removing the need to drive through the town centre. This will help to minimise the impact of the complex construction works currently underway in the area.
“We would also like to remind road users that this is a significant change to the existing road layout in this area. As with any change to road layout, we strongly encourage road users to drive with more caution than usual. We would also kindly request drivers to observe all of the signage and speed limits that are in place to enhance the safety of road users and road workers.”
When complete, the AWPR/B-T will help to reduce congestion, cut journey times, improve safety and lower pollution in Aberdeen City Centre. It will also enable local authorities to develop public transport solutions.
The AWPR/B-T project is expected to bring in an additional £6 billion to the north-east economy and create around 14,000 jobs over the next 30 years, including more than 1,000 jobs for the construction industry. There will also be tangible benefits for the business community and road users with better journey time reliability and reduced congestion.
Further details on this upcoming period of traffic management can be found at: http://www.transport.gov.scot/road/aberdeen-western-peripheral-route/traffic-management