Changes to lanes at Wetherby Road roundabout from this evening

Motorists are asked to take extra care at the Wetherby Road roundabout on the outer ring road as work is undertaken to narrow the road lanes after this evening’s peak traffic.

This reduction in lane width is needed to ensure the safety of road users and construction workers. 

Road barriers and a reduced speed limit of 30 miles per hour will also be in place to reinforce safety whilst traveling through the road works.

In addition, there will be a single lane entry onto the roundabout off-peak from Monday to Friday, with the existing two-lane entry retained at morning and afternoon peaks.

The roundabout is the first of seven to be widened to a three-lane approach and two-lane exit in order to reduce congestion on the outer ring road.

The existing two lane entry and single lane exit will be in place through this phase of the works, which are expected to last at least 12 weeks.

The council is reassuring motorists that the restrictions should only cause minor delays.   (more…)

Wetherby Road roundabout upgrades to start next week

 City of York Council is reminding residents, businesses and visitors that work will start on Monday at the Wetherby Road roundabout on the outer ring road.

The works mark the start of a £38m programme to reduce congestion and journey times on one of York’s busiest roads.

 

Work will take place from approximately 7.30am – 4pm, Monday – Friday. Some extended work until 8pm and weekend working will take place to ensure the overall construction period is kept to a minimum.

To ensure work can take place safely we will need to slightly narrow the lanes to make room, and a temporary speed limit reduction to 30mph on the approach and exits of the roundabout will be in place. Generally two way flow will be maintained throughout the construction period although we will need to change the traffic management arrangements and potentially work overnight for more disruptive work, including resurfacing.

For more information about the York Outer Ring Road improvements visit www.york.gov.uk/yorr

Road users warned of delays as busy Tadcaster Road/St Helens Road junction gets upgrade

City of York Council is warning of severe disruption as it replaces ageing and unreliable traffic lights at the junction of Tadcaster Road and St Helen’s Road from Monday (30 April).

The work is expected to last up to six weeks, and will include temporary lights. The council is advising drivers to allow more time for their journeys, consider alternative routes or travel options “like Park and Ride“!

While replacing the traffic lights,  the council is making changes to the junction which will improve traffic flows, take advantage of new technology and also prove cheaper and more efficient to run.

The changes to pedestrian crossing arrangements were discussed last summer (click).

Work is scheduled to take place from 7.30am – 5.30pm, Monday to Friday and from 9am – 3pm on a Saturday. Evening work will be required during certain phases of the work, this will be kept to a minimum to minimise disruption to local residents.

Bus routes should remain unchanged throughout the junction improvements.

Work will be suspended from Wednesday 16 May – Friday 18 May and on Saturday 26 May due to race meetings at York Racecourse.

The five year traffic signal asset renewal programme was given the green light by the councillor responsible for transport and planning in November 2015.

The total replacement programme will cost £2.62m over five years and will be funded through the capital programme budget and the existing Local Transport Plan budget.

For information on travelling in and around York visit  www.itravelyork.info/roadworks

In a separate development the Council says it is “pioneering intelligent transport technology to tackle congestion on the city’s roads”.

In the first of two Department for Transport projects which could change the way traffic is managed in the UK, the council has installed special sensors from Lendal Arch gyratory and along the A59.

These will pick up anonymous (‘hashed’) mobile phone signals and data from ‘connected’ cars.

The council can then combine this with other data – like real-time bus movements – to give a complete picture of how traffic behaves.

This will help the council to set traffic signals which respond to how traffic actually behaves, especially in events like sudden downpours.

Lendal works to be completed before the end of the week

Station Rise resurfacing contract cost revealed

The delayed contract to resurface part of Rougier Street, Station Rise and Station View will cost £153,666.

Work on the contract was suspended a fortnight ago. https://www.york.gov.uk/LendalArch Work is now expected to be completed by Wednesday

Colas Ltd won the contract on 15th March 2018

NB. The value of the new Park and Ride contract in York  is revealed in newly published contract documents.  Won by First, it is expected to be worth £40 million over the next 8 years.

Flooding in York: What to look out for

The heavy rain in the City has subsided today but several rivers are still showing increasing levels. We recommend that residents check the river gauges regularly and in particular those located upstream of the City. There is still a lot of water to flow through.

Click here for the river gauge real time map

Click here for the latest flood alerts and flooding maps

Drivers faced another hazard yesterday as a large pothole developed on the A59 road works on the south bound side of Skip Bridge. The carriageway is single file, over the bridge, there at the moment. Some delays may be expected,.

Several Councillors including – Andrew Waller – toured their wards yesterday to identify areas where gullies might be blocked. Some surface water flooding was identified by Andrew in Osprey Close (run off from agricultural land), Westfield Place, Cornlands Road, St Stephens Rd., St Stephens Square and Gale Lane,  Any blocked gullies have been reported for attention.

Overnight road closures in central York from 8th April for two weeks

Lendal Arch Gyratory set to be resurfaced

Following on from the extensive Lendal Arch Gyratory traffic signal works City of York Council is set to resurface the area next month to complete the upgrade scheme.

The resurfacing works includes sections of Rougier Street, Station Road, Station Rise(Leeman Road) and Station Avenue.

To minimise disruption, work will take place overnight (8:30pm until 5:30am) every night except Fridays and Saturdays. The work is expected to last up to two weeks, starting on Sunday 8 April.

Road closures will be in place during the works with diversion routes via Nunnery Lane and Water End/Clifton Bridge to avoid Lendal Bridge, Rougier Street and Leeman Road. Throughout the works, all vehicles will still be able to access the station from the Blossom Street direction.

There will be some single lane closures around bus stops on Station Road and Station Avenue as the new surfaces take 24 hours to cure, but these are planned to happen for only one day in the first week.

The Lendal Arch Gyratory work included a full renewal of the traffic signal equipment. Changes to the pedestrian crossing facilities, including widening and realigning the crossing to make the area safer and better for the thousands of pedestrians who regularly use the crossing.

The junction is set to be resurfaced in two phases. Phase one is set to be completed during the first week and includes Rougier Street, from the Tanner Row junction to the new signals, and sections of Station Road and Station Avenue. Phase two will be completed in the second week and includes the remaining sections of Station Road and Station Rise.

As with any resurfacing work residents are likely to experience some disruption. Residents can be assured that the council is doing everything possible to minimise disruption as much as possible. We have also contacted local residents and businesses to inform them of the work.

For information about bus diversions during the works, visit: www.itravelyork.info/

Idyllic scenes on the Ouse BUT…

Cyclists will be hoping that the York Council’s announcement that £500,000 will be spent upgrading major cycle routs in the City will allow for work to be undertaken on the York – Selby path. In places, the popular leisure route has become very uneven following the ravages of winter.

River Ouse at Naburn today. Well within its banks

Snow melt has caused large ponds to form on low woodland

The cycle track is still scarred by graffiti and dumping. The Council no longer clears graffiti unless it is judged to be obscene.

Site clearance at Wetherby Road roundabout starts

Marks milestone in £38m scheme to reduce journey times on outer ring road

The start of a £38m scheme to reduce journey times on York’s Outer Ring Road move a step closer next week as site clearance works start at the Wetherby Road roundabout.

Public consultation on the design  of the new roundabout only finished on 2nd February. The results of the consultation have yet to be reported to any Council committee.

Nevertheless the Council have issued a statement saying, “It is the first of seven roundabouts on the Outer Ring Road set for major improvements, including wider entrances and exits and improved pedestrian and cycling facilities.

The council is undertaking site clearance work, ahead of the main construction planned to start in June, to avoid impacting on nesting birds.

This will include removal of existing hedges and saplings along the highway boundary to facilitate the widening of the roundabout and approach roads.

Replacement hedging and saplings will be planted along the line of the new highway boundary as part of the main roundabout construction scheme”.