Vital investigation work is getting underway this week in advance of a major improvement scheme on a key route to the Highlands.
The project on the A82 at Pulpit Rock will remove the notorious bottleneck at Loch Lomond and the traffic lights which have been there for over 20 years.
Advance works will begin with the contractor Structural Soils carrying out £600,000 ground investigations at the site. The work starts this week (Monday May 12 2008) and will last until the first week in July.
Duncan McCallum, Transport Scotland’s Senior Road Engineer said
"The A82 is a key route in the west of Scotland and these investigations represent an essential and significant step forward in improving the trunk road at Pulpit Rock.
"These investigations will assist the design for the road alignment options, which will allow us to eventually remove the temporary signals that have been in place for a number of years."
Preparation for the works site will add approximately 100 metres to the existing traffic signal but should not have any additional impact on journey times.
To allow works on the carriageway, the A82 from Crianlarich to Tarbet will close overnight (22.00 - 06.00) on June 4 - 11. These closures will take place in conjunction with Transerv’s planned closures for essential maintenance on this section of the A82 throughout June. Signed diversions will be in place.
Drivers are advised to check www.trafficscotland.org for further information about these works and for real-time journey planning advice.
Once the investigations are complete, preferred alignment options can be prepared and the design finalised. Transport Scotland will then publish statutory Land and Road Orders.
The scheme construction is on target to be complete in 2011/2012, subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory process.
For futher information see A82 Pulpit Rock improvements
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