A8000 Motorway Replacement
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Scheme Outline
Construction of new motorway to dual two-lane plus hard shoulder standard from the terminus of the M9 spur to a new limited-access junction on the A90 providing access towards the Forth Road Bridge. The new motorway will replace the A8000 link road from the M9 spur to the A90 which is presently heavily congested. The extended spur will continue to take the M9 number from its parent motorway.
The scheme also includes the widening of the A90 between the new spur and the Forth Road Bridge to dual three-lane. The junction will continue the A90 mainline onto the spur, with the rest of the A90 towards Edinburgh becoming an exit from the route.
Timeline
- 1964
- Forth Road Bridge and connecting section of A90 to the south is opened.
- 1970
- Southernmost section of M9, including spur to A8000, is opened.
- 2002
- Plans to replace A8000 finally confirmed.
Project Statistics
- Cost
- £36m
- Finance
- Scottish Executive/DBFO
- Estimated duration of works
- 2006-2007
- Length of new road
- 2 miles
Progress
- April 2005
- The Scottish Executive announce they will provide the additional money needed to close the "funding gap" and construction is due to start shortly. See this news article for details.
- June 2005
- Completion date has been put back two years to February 2008. This news conflicts with reports that preparatory work has already started on construction.
- June 2006
- Construction work is now under way; the road is now expected to open in late 2007.
- September 2007
- The new road was opened in phases in early September. The old A8000 is now closed for several weeks for reconstruction work.
More information
- Website
- www.edinburgh.gov.uk/.../a8000.html
- Website
- www.feta.gov.uk
Thanks to Tim Parris, Colin Orchard, Simon Wall, Alan Jones, Steve Middleton, Ron Johnston, Gerry McKenna, Stuart Baird, Hamish Scott and Matthew Henson for information on this page.
