• Works start Monday 29 May.
• Lane closures on A9 southbound.
• Closures at A9 slip roads, sections of the Raigmore Interchange and part of the A96 on approach with alternative routes on Sunday 4, Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 June.

The A9 Raigmore Interchange at Inverness is set to benefit from major road improvements, with works scheduled for ten nights from Monday 29 May.

BEAR Scotland, Transport Scotland’s operating company, will resurface 600 metres of the carriageway at the Raigmore Interchange as well as replacing and extending safety barriers on the southbound carriageway. The barrier upgrades are part of ongoing road safety improvements on the A9 and follow on from work successfully completed in April on the northbound side of the Interchange. The next stage will complete this ambitious project, with a combined investment total of nearly £800,000 – making a real difference to drivers’ safety as well as enhancing their driving experience.

All works will be completed by 7am on Saturday 10 June.

Lane closures, as well as various closures of slip roads, sections of the Raigmore Interchange and part of the A96 on approach will be in place to protect the workforce and public. There will be signed alternative routes in place. Please see below for programme and details of the traffic management and alternative routes during the various phases of the project.

Ian Stewart, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “This is an ambitious project, seeing a substantial investment to improve both the road surface and safety barriers at the Raigmore Interchange. We are pleased to be able to make such extensive enhancements, which will help keep those using the A9 safe as well as creating a much smoother and more resilient road surface.

“We’ve taken steps to limit the overall impact of the project by carrying out the improvements at night, to cause the least disruption. Our team will do all they can to complete the works as quickly and safely as they can, and we thank the local community and A9 road users for their patience in advance. We encourage motorists to plan ahead before setting out by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date travel information.”

Project Phasing

Safety barrier upgrades – A9 southbound

The southbound carriageway of the A9 will be reduced to a single through lane with a temporary 50mph limit, which will further reduce to a 30mph speed limit past the works. The southbound exit-slip road to the A96 will be reduced to a single lane, to allow the barrier on the offside to be installed.

Resurfacing Phase 1,

Raigmore Interchange / Roundabout – surfacing across A96 approach and A9 southbound on slip exit

The A96 will be closed westbound between the Inverness Retail Park Roundabout and Raigmore Interchange. The Raigmore Interchange will also be closed between the A96 approach and the A9 southbound on slip.

This will affect traffic

• joining the A9 southbound from Millburn Road,
• heading into Inverness from the A9 southbound via Millburn Road, and
• heading west on the A96 that would use Raigmore Interchange.

Traffic heading east on Millburn Road wishing to head northbound on the A9 will be able to do so via the unaffected northbound A9 On Slip.

Access to and from the Inverness Retail Park will be maintained at all times.

Access will be maintained for the Stoneyfield Estate for the Travelodge/The Snow Goose and the Holiday Inn.

Alternative Routes for Traffic (Phase 1)

To Inverness from the A9 southbound via Millburn Road

Traffic should instead leave the A9 at the Inshes junction to join the B9006 Culloden Road and head west to Inshes Roundabout. From there, head east onto Sir Walter Scott Drive where they can join the northbound A9 via the on slip. They can then leave the A9 via the open section of the Raigmore Interchange and be diverted into Inverness via Millburn Road.

A9 southbound from Millburn Road, and
A96 westbound to Inverness or the A9

Traffic will be diverted off the A96 at the Smithton Roundabout, onto Barn Church Road, followed by Tower Road and the B9006 Culloden Road.

• Drivers then wishing to travel southbound on the A9 can do so via the B9006 Culloden Junction that joins to the Inshes Junction where traffic can use the on slip to join the A9 southbound.
• All other traffic wanting to travel northbound on the A9 will stay on the B9006 Culloden Road and head west to Inshes Roundabout, and from there head east onto Sir Walter Scott Drive where they can join the northbound A9 via the on slip.
• Traffic for Inverness from the A96 will follow the same diversion as those wanting to travel northbound on the A9. They can then leave the A9 via the open section of the Raigmore Interchange and be diverted into Inverness via Millburn Road.

Exiting Stoneyfield Estate

A sign will be placed at the junction with a phone number to ring for assistance to be escorted down Lane 2 of the westbound carriageway of the A96 to Inverness Retail Park Roundabout. Traffic looking to join the A9 or reach Inverness will follow the diversion routes via the A96 from Smithton Roundabout

Resurfacing Phases 2 and 3,

Raigmore Interchange / Roundabout – surfacing across A9 northbound off slip approach and across Millburn Road entry/exit:

The Raigmore Interchange will be closed between the A9 northbound Off Slip and the A9 northbound On Slip.

This will affect traffic

• joining the A9 northbound via the northbound On Slip,
• leaving the A9 via the northbound Off Slip and
• heading into Inverness via Millburn Road from the A96 or A9
• leaving Inverness via Millburn Road to head southbound on the A9 or eastbound onto the A96.

Millburn Road will be closed between Millburn Road Roundabout and Raigmore Interchange.

Access will be maintained for the businesses along Millburn Road including DFS, Juvenate Health & Leisure, Leonardo Hotel, Millburn Takeaway, KFC and Kwikfit. Access will also be maintained for residents of Raigmore Estate with access from King Duncan’s Road junction.

A 4-way traffic light system will be installed on the approaches of Millburn Road Roundabout. These will stay on green except for when traffic is being escorted from Leonardo Hotel, Juvenate Health & Leisure and DFS. At these times, all lights will be put on Red so traffic can be safely escorted west down the wrong way of Millburn Road to Millburn Road Roundabout. Traffic can then follow the diversion routes to either head into Inverness or head to the A9 to travel northbound or southbound.

Alternative routes for Traffic (Phases 2 and 3)

From A96 westbound to Inverness or the A9 northbound

Traffic will be diverted onto the A9 southbound via the southbound On Slip. At Inshes Junction, traffic will then exit the A9 via the southbound Inshes Off Slip to join B9006 Culloden Road at Culloden Junction.

Traffic will then be diverted left at the traffic lights to Inshes Roundabout, continue on the B9006 past Raigmore Hospital and along Old Perth Road up to Millburn Road Roundabout.

• Onward travel to Inverness – Traffic wanting to travel into Inverness will be able to do so from Millburn Road Roundabout.
• Onward travel northbound on the A9 – Traffic will either be diverted from Millburn Road Roundabout via Harbour Road for cars and light vehicles or for HGVs, they will be diverted west along the B865 Millburn Road. This is due to a low bridge on Harbour Road.
• • Cars and light vehicles diverted along Harbour Road from Millburn Road Roundabout will travel west along Harbour Road to Harbour Road Roundabout. Traffic will then be diverted on to the A82 Longman Road, then north up to Longman Roundabout where they can join the A9 northbound or southbound.

• • HGVs diverted west along the Millburn Road will continue along the B865, through Academy Street and then on to Chapel Street. They will exit to the A82 via the Shore Street Roundabout, then travel along the A82 Longman Road north through both Rose Street and Harbour Road Roundabouts, and then north on to Longman Roundabout where they can join the A9 northbound or southbound A9.

These diversion routes for cars, light vehicles and HGVs will also be relevant for any traffic leaving Inverness that would normally use Millburn Road to get to Raigmore Interchange.

From A9 northbound exiting at Raigmore Interchange

Traffic will be diverted north along the A9 to Longman Roundabout. The diversion route will be split and signed for both cars/light vehicles and HGVs.

• • Cars and light vehicles will travel south from Longman Roundabout down the A82 of Longman Road. From Harbour Road Roundabout, traffic will then be diverted east along Harbour Road to Millburn Road Roundabout where traffic can continue their journey.

• • HGVs will travel south from Longman Roundabout down the A82 Longman Road through both Harbour Road and Rose Street Roundabouts to Shore Street Roundabout. Traffic will then be diverted east on to the B865 Chapel Street, continuing east onto Academy Street onto Millburn Road. Traffic will continue east on Millburn Road to Millburn Road Roundabout where traffic can continue their journey.

Access to King Duncan’s Road for Raigmore Estate, and Millburn Takeaway

This will be via the central bus gate crossover point. This is designated for buses only, however The Highland Council has granted use of this lane for residents to access Raigmore Estate. Exiting the King Duncan’s Road junction will be as usual, travelling west to Millburn Road Roundabout.

Access to KFC and Kwikfit

This will also be via the central bus gate crossover point designated for buses only. Traffic will be allowed to travel east up Millburn Road via a small contraflow system. This will also allow traffic to safely exit KFC & Kwikfit to head west to Millburn Road Roundabout.

Traffic exiting from Leonardo Hotel, Juvenate Health & Leisure and DFS

A sign will be placed at each junction with a phone number to ring for assistance for traffic to be escorted down to Millburn Road Roundabout. Traffic will then follow the signed diversions previously mentioned for Phase 2 and 3 of the works.

Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.traffic.gov.scot or Twitter at @trafficscotland.