M3 Nightmare Continues!

Author
Discussion

SydneyBridge

8,500 posts

157 months

Monday 19th June 2017
quotequote all
if it was japan or somewhere similar- they would have done this in 6 months
maybe a slight over exaggeration but not much

AlexRS2782

8,025 posts

212 months

Monday 19th June 2017
quotequote all
I had something similar 2 weeks ago. Joined at Basingstoke (Junction 6) to head towards Camberley. It was after 10 so I expected it to be shut at J4 or 4a anyway, but what surprised me was that all signs from Fleet services onwards were still displaying the normal "daytime" 3 lanes move slightly left and narrow & 50MPH, but there was nothing indicating upcoming lane closures or a complete closure.

The first you saw of it was approaching the 4a slip road, with all 3 lanes still open / live, when a line of flashing cones started on the right and within 250 yards it had narrowed the 3 lanes down to barely a lane & a half width which ensured you exited at 4a. Thankfully it was quiet and there was nothing else around otherwise if anything had been in the outer 2 lanes they wouldn't have had a lot of time to merge left.

Of course the only diversion available once you exited was going back on yourself via Minley towards the Blackbushe / A30 r/bout. The motorway bridge itself was also shut (no advance signage except some barriers on that exit of the r/bout and a "Closed" sign) which resulted in some people accidently driving straight on into Guillemont Park trying to find their bearings - mainly due to the lack of a big "Diversion" sign telling people where to go. Eventually you then end up on the Blackbushe A30 r/bout, which is currently narrowed right down to one lane due to gas works, where it was barely passable for big lorries trying to turn right and follow the diversion back to The Meadows, Camberley, Bagshot, etc.

I pity anyone that night wanting to get to Cove/Farnborough/Fleet as rather than just being able to go over the bridge and being 5 minutes away they'd have had at least another 15/20 minutes worth of diversion round the back roads or the A30 & Frimley.

One thing I will say though - driving over the Maultway bridge or Ravenswood r/bout during the night - I don't think I've ever seen that many contractors working on this stretch since they started the works god knows how many years ago. Maybe they should have had that level of workman out from the start and it would have actually been finished in 2015 - you know, when it was originally promised to have been completed by rolleyesbanghead

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Monday 19th June 15:22

Mr Tidy

Original Poster:

22,065 posts

126 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
AlexRS2782 said:
One thing I will say though - driving over the Maultway bridge or Ravenswood r/bout during the night - I don't think I've ever seen that many contractors working on this stretch since they started the works god knows how many years ago. Maybe they should have had that level of workman out from the start and it would have actually been finished in 2015 - you know, when it was originally promised to have been completed by rolleyesbanghead

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Monday 19th June 15:22
Well there will be loads of activity as it seems there is some desperation to meet the "Summer 2017" completion deadline (rather than the 2015 deadline that nobody took seriously anyway)! laugh

Still I'm looking forward to the misery that completion will bring - assuming I'm not dead by then!! (Might be a better option to be fair)! laugh

Enjoy the 40/50 mph "motorway" everyone - because that is the best you can hope for, and don't get confused about the changing limits, because they are the revenue generators!






Ej74

1,038 posts

184 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
limits up to 55 just prior to junction 4

Trevatanus

11,109 posts

149 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
when I last spoke to HA, they confirmed completion end of June.
On that basis, this is the last weekend smile

HorneyMX5

5,308 posts

149 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
Ej74 said:
limits up to 55 just prior to junction 4
Indeed. Very odd if you ask me, don't think I've ever seen another 55mph limit in my 22 years of driving. I initially thought someone had doctored the signs for a laugh as everyone always does 55 anyway.

FredAstaire

2,336 posts

211 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
HorneyMX5 said:
Indeed. Very odd if you ask me, don't think I've ever seen another 55mph limit in my 22 years of driving. I initially thought someone had doctored the signs for a laugh as everyone always does 55 anyway.
my ford only marks the speedo at 10mph increments, making 55mph harder to regulate to.

FurtiveFreddy

8,577 posts

236 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
Have they finished work completely there now and opened all 4 lanes? I came back that way yesterday and it looked like there wasn't much more to do.

FredAstaire

2,336 posts

211 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
FurtiveFreddy said:
Have they finished work completely there now and opened all 4 lanes? I came back that way yesterday and it looked like there wasn't much more to do.
it feels like there can't be much left - they've started removing the temporary barriers, and several sections have new surface and white lines.

Ej74

1,038 posts

184 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
Southbound looks more finished
The surface in the new lane southbound hmmm...

55 sign looked odd as i flew past everyone still at 50

AlexRS2782

8,025 posts

212 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
The "55" signage caught me by surprise when I joined at J4 (heading southbound) earlier today too and I did a double take at the next sign to ensure it was correct and I wasn't imagining things. Very strange - never seen that limit before through roadworks,

I noticed that there's still a few patches of tarmac around / shortly after 4A that could do with being repaired / resurfaced properly, but I can't see them doing it as they appear to be after where the "managed" section will end frown So straight off some decent smooth road and straight into a nice trough frown

ffc

606 posts

158 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
FurryExocet said:
They are rushing to get it all finished, as it's supposed to be all open on June 30th!

Then the fun begins, 8 cameras along the new stretch, but not all live, you just won't know which ones! They won't even tell us evil
Are these the cameras off to the left of the main gantry where the "managed" speed signs are? I've been travelling more lately and seen them a lot in the Midlands. is this a new thing or have I been stuck at home too long?

Mr Tidy

Original Poster:

22,065 posts

126 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
quotequote all
Trevatanus said:
when I last spoke to HA, they confirmed completion end of June.
On that basis, this is the last weekend smile
What did they say in 2015? laugh On that basis it may be finished next year, or maybe not - after all every year has a June in it!

FurtiveFreddy

8,577 posts

236 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
quotequote all
ffc said:
Are these the cameras off to the left of the main gantry where the "managed" speed signs are? I've been travelling more lately and seen them a lot in the Midlands. is this a new thing or have I been stuck at home too long?
They're just a different version of the HADECS3 cameras. Time will tell what trigger speeds they're going to be set to.

Landshark

2,117 posts

180 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
FurtiveFreddy said:
They're just a different version of the HADECS3 cameras. Time will tell what trigger speeds they're going to be set to.
There not a different version of HADECS3 they are HADECS3 😁

FurtiveFreddy

8,577 posts

236 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
Landshark said:
There not a different version of HADECS3 they are HADECS3 ??
confused

Ranger 6

7,042 posts

248 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
So...... what's with the speed limit change?



Edit: I should've read further up. Appears it's been there for a while. Strange as the other way is still 50

Edited by Ranger 6 on Sunday 25th June 14:05

FredAstaire

2,336 posts

211 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
Ranger 6 said:
So...... what's with the speed limit change?



Edit: I should've read further up. Appears it's been there for a while. Strange as the other way is still 50

Edited by Ranger 6 on Sunday 25th June 14:05
Yeah, it appeared on Friday. Strange isn't it. Why bother with a new temporary limit when the works only have a short while left.

Trevatanus

11,109 posts

149 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
So...... this is the final week right?

Lets see shall we ! rolleyes

masermartin

1,629 posts

176 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
HorneyMX5 said:
Ej74 said:
limits up to 55 just prior to junction 4
Indeed. Very odd if you ask me, don't think I've ever seen another 55mph limit in my 22 years of driving. I initially thought someone had doctored the signs for a laugh as everyone always does 55 anyway.
This - the first sign I saw, I thought it was a prank.