M74 Motorists Face Weeks Of Chaos With Raith Interchange Route To Hamilton Set To Close
Drivers face over a month of even more travel delays as one of the main routes off the M74 is closed.
There will be no access to the main route to Hamilton and Bothwell coming off the M74 Raith Interchange for five weeks starting from Monday 26th October.
It's as a result of the B7071 Bellshill Road from Whistleberry Toll to Bothwell Bridge roundabout (the junction with Hamilton Road and Bothwell Road) being closed southbound for upgrades.
A full closure of both carriageways for a whole weekend is then planned - currently scheduled for the last weekend in November.
Signed diversions will be in place on all approaches to provide road users with alternative routes, however, delays are anticipated and motorists are being advised to plan their journey in advance.
Officials say this traffic management is necessary to allow the construction of the approach roads to the new Raith Junction linking to the existing mini roundabout at Bothwell Bridge, and has been designed to minimise disruption as far as possible.
Access from the M74 J5 Raith to both the A725 Bellshill Bypass and the A725 East Kilbride Expressway will be maintained during these works.
Graeme Reid, project sponsor for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project, said:
“As a strategic connection on Central Scotland’s motorway network, Raith Junction is undergoing a major transformation and one of the biggest challenges we have is to keep the high volume of traffic using this heavily congested junction moving.
“Work is well underway to create an underpass below the existing roundabout, providing a free flow link (1.8km) for traffic between the A725 Bellshill Bypass and the A725 East Kilbride Expressway, cutting out the existing delays and congestion at Raith. Constructing a new three level junction is a complex engineering task, especially with live traffic passing through it.
“All traffic management schemes are consulted on fully with Police Scotland and the local authority and are design to minimise the disruption a far as practically possible. We would like to take this opportunity to thank local residents and road users for their patience while these works are underway.”
Road bosses say the works will significantly reduce congestion across the central Scotland motorway network, including at Raith Interchange.
It's claimed road users will save as much as 15 minutes of the daily commute at Raith once works are complete.