Transport Scotland Trunk Road Project Evaluation - Report for Trunk Road Projects Opened between April 05 and March 07
3 Projects
3.1 M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh
Project Description
The M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh extension was officially opened to traffic on 27th April 2005.
The new motorway replaces an existing stretch of the A77, extending the existing M77 Motorway by 15.2 kilometres southwards from Malletsheugh to Fenwick and significantly reducing journey times from Glasgow to Ayrshire and beyond. The general location of the project is shown in Figure 3.1a.
Traffic Data
The ATCs used for the traffic assessment of this project were located on the M77, to the north of the junction with the A726 Glasgow Southern Orbital (SRTDb sites NTC01008 and NTC01010). The location of the ATCs is shown in Figure 3.1a.
The opening year flow comparisons for the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh project are based on AADT flows from 2006 as this was the first full year of traffic data available from the ATCs.
Predicted traffic flows for 2006 were obtained by factoring the 2004 base year flows used in the SITM assessment with NRTF(97) factors.
A summary of the observed traffic data and the predicted traffic data based on NRTF(97) is shown in Table 3.1a below.
* 2006 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Assessment of Carriageway Standard Provided
An assessment of the appropriateness of the carriageway standard provided according to TA 46/97, which applied at the time of the project design, is shown in Table 3.1b. This assessment is based on the observed opening year traffic flow.
| Opening Year AADT* | Implied Standard | Standard Built |
|---|---|---|
| 29,602 | Dual 2-Lane Motorway | Dual 2-Lane Motorway |
* 2006 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Cost Data
As the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh project was taken forward as a Private Finance Initiative project, which includes the Glasgow Southern Orbital project and associated maintenance over a number of years, actual construction cost information is not available.
Accident Data
The locations and severities of accidents occurring within the vicinity of the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh project 3 years before, 1 year after and 3 years after project completion are shown in Figures 3.1b to 3.1f.
A summary of the accident data is shown in Table 3.1c.
As can be seen from Table 3.1c, ten accidents (one fatal and nine slight) occurred in the 1 year period following the opening of the project in comparison to fifty-two accidents (eight fatal, nine serious and thirty-five slight) in the 3 years before opening, suggesting an improvement in road safety.
The fatal accident that occurred in the 1 year period following the opening of the project involved the fatality of a cyclist on the bypassed section of the A77. Transport Scotland has, however, not yet received a copy of the Stage 4 RSA report for this project and, therefore, it is not possible to comment further on the accidents that occurred in the 1 year period after opening.
Table 3.1c also shows that thirty-nine accidents (two fatal, two serious and thirty-five slight) occurred in the 3 year period following the opening of the project, which continues to suggest an improvement in road safety within the vicinity of the project. Transport Scotland has not yet received a copy of the Stage 5 RSA report for this project and it is not possible to comment on the accidents that occurred in the 3 year period after opening.
Environmental Mitigation Measures
The environmental mitigation measures originally proposed for the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh project were obtained from the project's Environmental Statement.
A review of the environmental mitigation measures was carried out in April 2009 to establish whether or not the proposed mitigation measures had been implemented.
The review of mitigation confirmed that many of the elements presented within the Environmental Statement were in place. Whilst there were some elements not evident on site, most of these related to proposed off-site screen planting that require separate arrangements with the relevant landowners.
There were limited areas where the mitigation proposals did not exactly match the layout shown in the Environmental Statement, such as the location of trees and the extent of hedge planting, however, this may be due to minor vertical and/or horizontal adjustments to the road design implemented by the contractors' team during the construction phase.
Overall, it was considered during the review that the objectives of the environmental mitigation measures, as contained in the Environmental Statement, had been achieved and that variations had not resulted in a material detrimental impact on the general integration of the project into its surroundings.
3.2 A80 Auchenkilns Junction Improvement
Project Description
Operation of the new A80 road interchange at Auchenkilns, on the outskirts of Glasgow, began on 21st November 2005.
The Auchenkilns Roundabout was replaced with a grade separated interchange, comprising a new bridge over the A80, four new slip roads and the realignment of the B8048 and A73. The general location of the project is shown in Figure 3.2a.
Traffic Data
The ATC used for the traffic assessment of this project was located on the A80 to the north-east of Auchenkilns (SRTDb site JTC00265). The location of the ATC is shown in Figure 3.2a.
The opening year flow comparisons for the A80 Auchenkilns Junction Improvement project are based on AADT flows from 2006 as this was the first full year of traffic data available from the ATCs.
Predicted traffic flows for 2006 were obtained by factoring the 2005 flows used in the TREVAL/PTEVAL assessment with NRTF(97) factors.
A summary of the observed traffic data and the predicted traffic data based on NRTF(97) is shown in Table 3.2a below.
*2006 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Assessment of Carriageway Standard Provided
As the A80 Auchenkilns Junction Improvement project primarily involved the construction of a new grade separated interchange as opposed to a new section of carriageway, no assessment of the carriageway standard provided has been undertaken.
Cost Data
The out-turn and estimated project costs are shown in Table 3.2b.
Accident Data
The locations and severities of accidents occurring within the vicinity of the A80 Auchenkilns Junction Improvement project 3 years before, 1 year after and 3 years after project completion are shown in Figures 3.2b, 3.2c and 3.2d respectively.
A summary of the accident data is shown in Table 3.2c.
| Period | Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total Accidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Years Before | 0 | 1 | 17 | 18 |
| 1 Year After | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 Years After | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
As can be seen in Table 3.2c, two accidents (one serious and one slight) occurred within the vicinity of the improved junction in the 1 year period following the opening of the project in comparison to eighteen accidents (one serious and seventeen slight) in the 3 years before opening, suggesting an improvement in road safety.
TS has not yet received a copy of the Stage 4 RSA report for this project and, therefore, it is not possible to provide any additional information on the accidents that occurred in the 1 year period after opening.
Table 3.2c also shows that eight accidents (three serious and five slight) occurred in the 3 year period following the opening of the project. While this continues to suggest an improvement in overall road safety within the vicinity of the project, there appears to have been a slight increase in the severity of accidents occurring at this location. Transport Scotland has not yet received a copy of the Stage 5 RSA report for this project and it is not possible to comment on the accidents that occurred in the 3 year period after opening.
Project Description
As part of a series of improvements along the A96 corridor between Aberdeen and Inverness, a new climbing lane section at Coachford, to the south-east of Keith, was opened to traffic in November 2005.
The Coachford project involved the provision of 1.23 kilometres of single carriageway with climbing lane. The general location of the project is shown in Figure 3.3a.
Traffic Data
The ATC used for the traffic assessment of this project was located on the A96 to the south-east of Keith (SRTDb Ref. ATC02035). The location of the ATC is shown in Figure 3.3a.
The opening year flow comparisons for the A96 Coachford project are based on AADT flows from 2006 as this was the first full year of traffic data available from the ATC.
Predicted traffic flows for 2006 were obtained by factoring the 1998 base year flows used in the NESA assessment with NRTF(97) factors.
A summary of the observed traffic data and the predicted traffic data based on NRTF(97) is shown in Table 3.3a below.
*2006 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Assessment of Carriageway Standard Provided
An assessment of the appropriateness of the carriageway standard provided according to TA 46/97, which applied at the time of the project design, is shown in Table 3.3b. This assessment is based on the observed opening year traffic flow.
| Opening Year AADT* | Implied Standard | Standard Built |
|---|---|---|
| 6,844 | Single / Wide Single 2-Lane | Climbing Lane |
*2006 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Cost Data
The out-turn and estimated project costs are shown in Table 3.3c.
Accident Data
The locations and severities of accidents occurring within the vicinity of the A96 Coachford project 3 years before, 1 year after and 3 years after project completion are shown in Figures 3.3b, 3.3c and 3.3d respectively. A summary of the accident data is shown in Table 3.3d.
| Period | Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total Accidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Years Before | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 |
| 1 Year After | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 Years After | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
As can be seen in Table 3.3d, no accidents have occurred in the 1 year period following the opening of the project in comparison to nine accidents (one fatal, one serious and seven slight) in the 3 years before opening, suggesting an improvement in road safety. Transport Scotland has not yet received a copy of the Stage 4 RSA report for this project.
Table 3.3d also shows that two accidents (one serious and one slight) occurred in the 3 year period following the opening of the project, which continues to suggest an improvement in road safety. Transport Scotland has not yet received a copy of the Stage 5 RSA report for this project and it is not possible to comment on the accidents that occurred in the 3 year period after opening.
Project Description
As part of a series of improvements along the A90 corridor between Perth and Dundee, a new grade separated interchange at Glendoick was opened to traffic on 21st December 2006.
The new interchange replaced the existing at-grade priority junction, which provided access to Glendoick Garden Centre to the north.
The A90 Glendoick Interchange project involved the provision of a new grade separated interchange and associated accommodation works as well as the closure of several central reserve gaps (at Glencarse Road, Ross Road, Pitlowie Road, High Carse Road, Muiredge Road, Pittroddie Road and Inchcoonans Road). The general location of the project is shown in Figure 3.4a.
Traffic Data
The ATC used for the traffic assessment of this project was located on the A90, east of the Glencarse grade separated junction (SRTDb Ref. JTC00065). The location of the ATC is shown in Figure 3.4a.
The opening year flow comparisons for the A90 Glendoick Interchange project is based on AADT flows from 2007 as this was the first full year of traffic data available from the ATC.
Predicted traffic flows for 2007 were obtained by factoring the 2001 base year flows used in the NESA accident assessment with NRTF(97) factors.
A summary of the observed traffic data and the predicted traffic data based on NRTF(97) is shown in Table 3.4a below.
* 2007 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Assessment of Carriageway Standard Provided
As the A90 Glendoick Interchange project involved the construction of a new grade separated junction, as opposed to a new section of carriageway, no assessment of the carriageway standard provided has been undertaken.
Cost Data
As the out-turn project cost for the A90 Glendoick Interchange is not held on its own and instead has been combined with the out-turn cost for the A90 Kinfauns Interchange project, the estimated project costs used in the respective pre‑tender economic assessments have also been combined.
The combined out-turn and estimated project costs are presented in Section 3.5.
Accident Data
The locations and severities of accidents occurring within the vicinity of the A90 Glendoick Interchange project 3 years before, 1 year after and 3 years after project completion are shown in Figures 3.4b, 3.4c and 3.4d respectively. A summary of the accident data is shown in Table 3.4b.
| Period | Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total Accidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Years Before | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 1 Year After | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 Years After | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
As can be seen in Table 3.4b, no accidents occurred within the vicinity of the improved junction in the 1 year period following the opening of the project in comparison to six accidents (one serious and five slight) in the 3 years before opening, suggesting an improvement in road safety.
Table 3.4b also shows that six accidents (three serious and three slight) occurred in the 3 year period following the opening of the project. Whilst this seems to suggest that there has been little change in overall road safety, there appears to have been a slight increase in the severity of accidents occurring at this location. Transport Scotland has not yet received a copy of the Stage 5 RSA report for this project and it is not possible to comment on the accidents that occurred in the 3 year period after opening.
Project Description
As part of a series of improvements along the A90 corridor between Perth and Dundee, a new grade separated interchange at Kinfauns was opened to traffic on 14th February 2007.
The new interchange replaced the existing at-grade priority junction, which provided access to Kinfauns Village to the north and West Seggieden to the south.
The A90 Kinfauns Interchange project involved the provision of a new grade separated interchange and associated accommodation works as well as the closure of central reserve gaps (at Seggieden (East) and Tofthill Farm). The general location of the project is shown in Figure 3.5a.
Traffic Data
The ATC used for the traffic assessment of this project was located on the A90, east of the Glencarse grade separated junction (SRTDb Ref. JTC00065). The location of the ATC is shown in Figure 3.5a.
The opening year flow comparisons for the A90 Kinfauns Interchange project is based on AADT flows from 2008 as this was the first full year of traffic data available from the ATC.
Predicted traffic flows for 2008 were obtained by factoring the 2001 base year flows used in the NESA accident assessment with NRTF(97) factors.
A summary of the observed traffic data and the predicted traffic data based on NRTF(97) is shown in Table 3.5a below.
* 2008 flows (first full year of ATC data available)
Assessment of Carriageway Standard Provided
As the A90 Kinfauns Interchange project involved the construction of a new grade separated junction, as opposed to a new section of carriageway, no assessment of the carriageway standard provided has been undertaken.
Cost Data
As the out-turn project cost for the A90 Kinfauns Interchange is not held on its own and instead has been combined with the out-turn cost for the A90 Glendoick Interchange project, the estimated project costs used in the respective pre-tender economic assessments have also been combined (as noted in Section 3.4). The combined out-turn and estimated project costs are shown in Table 3.5b.
Accident Data
The locations and severities of accidents occurring within the vicinity of the A90 Kinfauns Interchange project 3 years before, 1 year after and 3 years after project completion are shown in Figures 3.5b, 3.5c and 3.5d respectively. A summary of the accident data is shown in Table 3.5c.
| Period | Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total Accidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Years Before | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 1 Year After | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 Years After | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
As can be seen in Table 3.5c, one serious accident occurred within the vicinity of the improved junction in the 1 year period following the opening of the project in comparison to eight accidents (one fatal, one serious and six slight) in the 3 years before opening, suggesting an improvement in road safety.
TS has not yet received a copy of the Stage 4 RSA report for this project and, therefore, it is not possible to comment further on the accident that occurred in the 1 year period after opening.
Table 3.5c also shows that three accidents (one serious and two slight) occurred in the 3 year period following the opening of the project, which continues to suggest an improvement in road safety. Transport Scotland has not yet received a copy of the Stage 5 RSA report for this project and it is not possible to comment on the accidents that occurred in the 3 year period after opening.