Restrictions cleared on A90 Stonehaven

Two lanes have been reinstated for southbound traffic on the A90 at Stonehaven, as part of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project.

Construction of the new structure which carries the A90 over the B979 Netherley Road has now progressed sufficiently to allow traffic to be returned to two lanes travelling in each direction.

The contractor will require further lane closures before the carriageway opens on its permanent alignment; however, these will only be implemented during off-peak, overnight and weekend periods. This will allow the contractor to carry out finishing works to the structure and carriageway, as well as complete connections to the new Stonehaven Junction and Fastlink.

The current 50 mph speed restriction will remain in place until works in this area are complete.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:

'A number of side roads and bridges built as part of the AWPR/B-T project are opening in advance of the new trunk road. A new lane has now become available for use on the new bridge at Stonehaven as part of a temporary road layout, meaning two lanes of traffic can once again run in both directions on the A90.

'This is not only good news for motorists who use the A90 at Stonehaven, it is also a sign that the works on the new bridge at Stonehaven are progressing well since the beams for the northbound carriageway were put in place only a few months ago in October 2017.

'As with any change to road layout, we strongly encourage road users to drive with more caution than usual. We would also kindly request that drivers observe all of the signage in place to enhance the safety of road users and road workers.

'We thank road users and the local community for their on-going support and patience during the construction works.'

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.

Over the next three decades, the AWPR/B-T is expected to bring in an additional £6 billion to the north-east economy and create around 14,000 new jobs.