Forth Road Bridge after work each evening
Discussion
Davie said:
I've lost count how many times (and at random times) the approaches have been backed up, the bridge is full of people doing 40mph about 500yds apart then continue to do so either right round past Dakota or up the brae past Rosyth.
That reminds me of another complaint - the largely empty bus lane from Pitreavie to Halbeath should have been a crawler lane for LGVs.Leithen said:
The queues from Newton to the bridge at rush hour appear far worse than anything that existed along the old Queensferry road.
Not helped by the "up and over" a
holes attempting to beat the queue, who sit and block the entire junction in every direction. This was a problem at the old Echline as well; you'd think the road designers could come up with a configuration that discourages such antics.Where there are obvious bottlenecks, like at this bridge, they don't design them with the flexibility so that the number of lanes in each direction can be varied, for example, 3 lanes in, 1 out in the morning and 3 lanes out and 1 in, in the evening. 2 lanes either direction during non peak times.
One thing I've always pondered, bearing in mind my knowledge and experience of bridges and road planning is roughly 'sod all' but putting slip roads at each end of a major bridge just seems to compound an issue... slow traffic joining and leaving any two lane, NSL road at busier times invariably slows the traffic flow but take for example the Severn Bridge or maybe the Friarton Bridge... sort of... but traffic flows better. A motorway bridge shouldn't be a bottle neck if it's a continuation of the road to it... so of traffic flows down the M90 ok, it should continue to flow over thd bridge but it doesn't because you have cars joining and leaving immediately begore and after the bridge and always sightseeing as they go... but I'm no road planner.
cuprabob said:
Where there are obvious bottlenecks, like at this bridge, they don't design them with the flexibility so that the number of lanes in each direction can be varied, for example, 3 lanes in, 1 out in the morning and 3 lanes out and 1 in, in the evening. 2 lanes either direction during non peak times.
There are places which do. There is a video on youtube of a machine which moves the barrier over 1 lane, so you have 3 lanes and 2 lanes. Then you've got the Aston Expressway in Brum with a middle lane they can use in either direction, although I'm not sure that design should be copied anywhere! Can the council not use the old bridge such that when coming to the bridges, 1 lane of the motorway goes over the old bridge, and 1 lane over the new bridge? IE split the road down the middle and halve the traffic? Then join them together again at the other end.
Or local traffic joining and leaving at South Queensferry or Ferrytoll use the old bridge and the ew one is for 'through' traffic... thus in theory, splitting the load between the two and also if the sliproads were removed from either side of the new bridge, it may help keep the traffic flow more consistent and faster. Though I'm sure many many suits sat round and discussed all options before coming up with what is, a rather crap one...
The other day, I was overtaken southbound on the M90 by 2 Astons, both with '007' number plates, probably doing 80, 85 mph. Got to the bridge and they're doing 45mph on the inside lane pointing out the window. I guess probably 30% of drivers were not paying much attention to the road.
Condi said:
There are places which do. There is a video on youtube of a machine which moves the barrier over 1 lane, so you have 3 lanes and 2 lanes. Then you've got the Aston Expressway in Brum with a middle lane they can use in either direction, although I'm not sure that design should be copied anywhere!
Can the council not use the old bridge such that when coming to the bridges, 1 lane of the motorway goes over the old bridge, and 1 lane over the new bridge? IE split the road down the middle and halve the traffic? Then join them together again at the other end.
You're probably thinking of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco with the lane zipper crossing over. Apparently it cost $30m to install and having seen it work, it's glacially slow in crossing the bridge.Can the council not use the old bridge such that when coming to the bridges, 1 lane of the motorway goes over the old bridge, and 1 lane over the new bridge? IE split the road down the middle and halve the traffic? Then join them together again at the other end.
Agree with the idea of closing the ramps at either end and forcing local traffic to use the old bridge - similar to what's been done with the M8 in Lanarkshire with local traffic on the (new) old A8.
There's possibly also something in making the old bridge a 2-way bus route on one side and a tidal flow 2 lanes on the other, opened as required.
Davie said:
Or local traffic joining and leaving at South Queensferry or Ferrytoll use the old bridge and the ew one is for 'through' traffic... thus in theory, splitting the load between the two and also if the sliproads were removed from either side of the new bridge, it may help keep the traffic flow more consistent and faster. Though I'm sure many many suits sat round and discussed all options before coming up with what is, a rather crap one...
I thought that should have happened when they were planning the new crossing. I have not seen anything since construction started to make me change my mind on that point, plus I thought it would/should be three lanes (minimum) in each direction.
simoid said:
Re the folk coming “off then on again” at the southern roundabout, going northbound... the slip road has (I think new?) traffic lights on it now which serves to slow this down. Bit of a pain in the arse if you’re legitimately joining from the A904.
I noticed this too and I think they are new. Presumably to slow down the joining traffic to maintain traffic flows? In the same way there's the alternating lights with the bus lane southbound into Edinburgh?Glad you pointed out you were legitimately joining the M90 though!
JM said:
Davie said:
Or local traffic joining and leaving at South Queensferry or Ferrytoll use the old bridge and the ew one is for 'through' traffic... thus in theory, splitting the load between the two and also if the sliproads were removed from either side of the new bridge, it may help keep the traffic flow more consistent and faster. Though I'm sure many many suits sat round and discussed all options before coming up with what is, a rather crap one...
I thought that should have happened when they were planning the new crossing. I have not seen anything since construction started to make me change my mind on that point, plus I thought it would/should be three lanes (minimum) in each direction.
Edinburger said:
simoid said:
Re the folk coming “off then on again” at the southern roundabout, going northbound... the slip road has (I think new?) traffic lights on it now which serves to slow this down. Bit of a pain in the arse if you’re legitimately joining from the A904.
I noticed this too and I think they are new. Presumably to slow down the joining traffic to maintain traffic flows? In the same way there's the alternating lights with the bus lane southbound into Edinburgh?Glad you pointed out you were legitimately joining the M90 though!
They should send all the dithering tourists and 40mph fkwits over the old bridge and leave the 70mph-capable bridge to the rest of us.
Any idea how long the snagging list is going to take to complete? I can't find the latest news story on it. It's a pain in the arse to sit in 10-20mph traffic at 10pm heading back north on a Sunday, thankfully this isn't a regular event as it's only when I'm home to visit family.
kwits over the old bridge and leave the 70mph-capable bridge to the rest of us.Any idea how long the snagging list is going to take to complete? I can't find the latest news story on it. It's a pain in the arse to sit in 10-20mph traffic at 10pm heading back north on a Sunday, thankfully this isn't a regular event as it's only when I'm home to visit family.
Edinburger said:
Ach I don’t mind them running some ideas up the flagpole. They’ll probably end up banning odd or even number plates on alternate days or something anyway.Gassing Station | Scotland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff