Traffic diversion to allow construction of new junction and pedestrian underpass for Third Don Crossing
19 October 2015
A road is to be closed so a new junction and pedestrian underpass can be built as part of the £18million Third Don Crossing project.
Diversions are to be created in the Bridge of Don area to allow the closure of Grandholm Drive from Sunday 9 November.
The new junction is being built on Grandholm Drive and pedestrian underpass is to be built on the east side of the new road.
Residents in Grandholm Village and nearby properties are being informed about the closure, which is for three months, weather dependant.
The road closure will mean the walk for pupils from Grandholm Village to the schools on Braehead Way (Bridge of Don Academy and Braehead School) will increase by 0.4miles, from 1.3miles to 1.7miles. Free bus transport provision is provided for youngsters whose walk is more than 3 miles.
Alternative pedestrian routes have been considered but these are not feasible due to safety issues such as the interaction with the site.
The pedestrian diversion route is as follows:
Starting at the east Grandholm Drive / Grandholm Crescent junction, Buckie Brae, Laurel Place, Laurel Drive, Fairview Brae, Fairview Street, Parkway, Balgownie Road from here pedestrians can either turn left onto Braehead Way for the schools or left at Scotstown Road for the shops etc.
The vehicle diversion route is as follows: starting at the east Grandholm Drive / Grandholm Crescent junction, onto the new road, Laurel Drive, Parkway, Balgownie Road.
The local schools in Bridge of Don / Danestone and businesses in Grandholm have already been notified, there has been an information board up at the east Grandholm Drive / Grandholm Crescent junction for a few weeks to advise of the closure.
No bus routes are affected by this closure, however there will be no access to the Balgownie Road bus stops from Grandholm Village. There are nearer stops on Laurel Place for the First Bus number 1 bus route, which stops on Balgownie Road, and a short walk over the footbridge across the river takes pedestrians to the closest bus stop for the number 19 bus in Tillydrone.
Aberdeen City Council Finance, Policy and Resources Committee vice-convener Councillor Ross Thomson said: "We genuinely appreciate these works will cause some inconvenience for local people, especially those who live in the Grandholm Village area. Residents can take comfort from the fact that this is only for a very limited time so we can construct the new junction and underpass.
"Residents in Tillydrone and Grandholm will be starting to see more work on the roads and pavements in the coming months with the project entering into an exciting final phase.
"The Third Don Crossing will transform city connectivity making it easier for local people to travel in and around the city, and it will ease congestion as well as bring exciting new opportunities through further investment and economic growth. This is a huge £18m Aberdeen City Council project which is historic in nature and transformational in its outcome."
The project requires the construction of two major bridges, with the first being a 26m skew span reinforced concrete bridge over the Mill Lade at Grandholm Village and the second a 90m span steel box girder bridge over the River Don.
The Third Don Crossing will see the construction of a new single carriageway link road between the Parkway/Whitestripes Road junction and the Tillydrone Avenue/St Machar Drive junctions, including the construction of the new bridges.
Work on the project which includes the bridge structure and 1.5 miles of connecting roads on both sides of the River Don - started in August 2014.
The bridge beams were lifted into place in July by a specialist 1,000-tonne crane, and work on the remaining part of the project including continuing work on the reinforcement of the bridge deck, along with constructing new roads, pavements and cycle ways is currently taking place.
Balfour Beatty is the main contractor for the Third Don Crossing.