A9

[Fife Flyer]

Good news for a change - the A9 roadworks north of Perth are now complete, the 40mph speed limit is now history.

Only another 60 or so miles left to dual, no obvious signs of any future works.

[Caberfeidh]

Good news for a change - the A9 roadworks north of Perth are now complete, the 40mph speed limit is now history. Only another 60 or so miles left to dual, no obvious signs of any future works.

Huzzah! I spent a very long sweltering day in a jam there, during that July heatwave. I thought I'd be smart and avoid the A82 from Glasgow heading to Skye, the A9 would be much faster - HA! Took me about seven hours. As for 40mph limit; also HA! A very slow walking pace, or just stopped.
Never mind, have a nice picture taken in November eleven years ago. Maybe we'll get an icy winter again, from the start of November to the end of April.

Foula, Nov. 2010.

[Gigha]

No sign of the next stage of dualling starting [Moy - Tomatin I believe]

I thought the whole project was supposed to be completed by 2025, will be interesting to see if some stages get quietly dropped now the Greens are having a say in things.

[Backpacker]

No sign of the next stage of dualling starting [Moy - Tomatin I believe]

I thought the whole project was supposed to be completed by 2025, will be interesting to see if some stages get quietly dropped now the Greens are having a say in things.

They've started the procurement process

https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/next-stage-of-a9-dualling-procurement-gets-underway/

Not sure why this wasn't lined up read to go once the Birnam section was completed

[Giant Stoneater]

I was talking to someone recently who is on this project or has input to it and he stated it will not be finished in 20 years time as there is a lot of unknown factors, a bit like the Edinburgh tram system.
When you look at it, it has taken 3 years to do 6 miles of road and that was the easiest part and the most challenging part is still to come.

[gld73]

Some work has started related to the Moy-Tomatin stretch, it's just more to do with necessary changes to nearby rail infrastructure before work on the main road starts (you see the entrance to the works when passing Lynebeg).

[Gigha]

Some work has started related to the Moy-Tomatin stretch, it's just more to do with necessary changes to nearby rail infrastructure before work on the main road starts (you see the entrance to the works when passing Lynebeg).

Are you certain about that, I think those works were associated with the transmission line upgrade in the area and is now an access point for another wind farm.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

No sign of the next stage of dualling starting [Moy - Tomatin I believe]

I thought the whole project was supposed to be completed by 2025, will be interesting to see if some stages get quietly dropped now the Greens are having a say in things.

I wouldn't mind if they did pull the plug on the A9 dualling. I'd much rather see the A82 Inverness to Fort William overhauled, though not sure what can really be done with it given the terrain. I believe it's now statistically the deadliest road in Scotland. I'd like to see the A96 and A86 sorted too before the A9.

[malky_c]

Some work has started related to the Moy-Tomatin stretch, it's just more to do with necessary changes to nearby rail infrastructure before work on the main road starts (you see the entrance to the works when passing Lynebeg).

Are you certain about that, I think those works were associated with the transmission line upgrade in the area and is now an access point for another wind farm.

Apparently the work that gld73 mentioned is to create a temporary access route beneath the railway, as the small underbridge at that point is getting replaced with something bigger. I think there will be a slip road somewhere around here in the future.
https://www.northern-scot.co.uk/news/the-mole-gets-to-work-on-a9-dualling-project-249937/

[Robert Haynes]

No sign of the next stage of dualling starting [Moy - Tomatin I believe]

I thought the whole project was supposed to be completed by 2025, will be interesting to see if some stages get quietly dropped now the Greens are having a say in things.

I wouldn't mind if they did pull the plug on the A9 dualling. I'd much rather see the A82 Inverness to Fort William overhauled, though not sure what can really be done with it given the terrain. I believe it's now statistically the deadliest road in Scotland. I'd like to see the A96 and A86 sorted too before the A9.

Based on traffic volumes, the A9 doesn't really warrant end-to-end dualling. By comparison, the A96 from Inverness to Nairn does, and Nairn has been in dire need of a bypass (not necessarily dual carriageway) for decades. But the A9 project has symbolic importance to the Scottish Government that other routes lack.

[Tringa]

It is a long time since I drove the A9(Perth to Inverness) and I always did it in the early morning so the lack of dual carriage wasn't much of a problem, but there will be a lot more traffic now.

Agree about the A96. Considering it connects the two largest urban centres in northern Scotland it is an appalling main road.
If I had to drive from Aberdeen to Inverness again I'd do what I did last time and go via Lecht - a quicker road and much more pleasant a drive.

Dave

[Sunset tripper]

I wouldn't mind if they did pull the plug on the A9 dualling. I'd much rather see the A82 Inverness to Fort William overhauled, though not sure what can really be done with it given the terrain. I believe it's now statistically the deadliest road in Scotland. I'd like to see the A96 and A86 sorted too before the A9.

Based on traffic volumes, the A9 doesn't really warrant end-to-end dualling. By comparison, the A96 from Inverness to Nairn does, and Nairn has been in dire need of a bypass (not necessarily dual carriageway) for decades. But the A9 project has symbolic importance to the Scottish Government that other routes lack.

Good to hear another section is completed.
The extension at Crubenmore and the new bit north of Kingussie has made a welcome and noticeable difference to the A9. I also doubt if it will be completed on time - governments rarely deliver on timescales or budgets. Another 2 or 3 sections completed in the next 5 years will be very welcome though.

From Inverness going east, instead of the A96 best to use the backroad Inverness to Auldearn via Cawdor which is far quicker. Could be more than half an hour quicker - Nairn is a nightmare at times and best avoided completely.

[Robert Haynes]

Nairn is a nightmare at times and best avoided completely.

Good advice for life, that - not just journey planning!

[gld73]

Some work has started related to the Moy-Tomatin stretch, it's just more to do with necessary changes to nearby rail infrastructure before work on the main road starts (you see the entrance to the works when passing Lynebeg).

Are you certain about that, I think those works were associated with the transmission line upgrade in the area and is now an access point for another wind farm.

https://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/mole-cuts-through-railway-embankment-in-preparation-for-the-249539/

The Glen Kyllachy wind farm access is just a little further along the road.

But I agree with other posts that a Nairn bypass and upgrading the A82 between Inverness and Fort William (an engineering challenge!) would be preferable!

[Sunset tripper]

Nairn is a nightmare at times and best avoided completely.

Good advice for life, that - not just journey planning!

Hard to argue with that.