The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Huge steel beams for AWPR set to roll into north-east
Transport: Bridgework will take place at night to reduce disruption
A convoy of huge steel beams will roll into the north-east this weekend as part of the Aberdeen bypass construction.
Five 141ft beams, each weighing 68 tonnes, will be installed on the southbound carriageway of the A90 Aberdeen to Dundee road.
The work, which will be carried out overnight on Saturday and Sunday, will mean the nearby Netherley Road will be closed between New Mains of Ury and Glenury Road from 8pm on Friday and 6am on Monday.
A second closure will then be put in place from 8pm on Monday until 6am the next day to enable further installation works to be completed, which will include constructing the bases for parapets.
There will be no access to the A90 via the new southbound slip road during these closures.
Diversions will be signposted with motorists heading north from the town asked to use the coast road which leads to the A90.
Drivers travelling south should join the northbound carriageway before leaving the road at the Newtonhill flyover junction and rejoining in the opposite direction. The contraflow which is currently in effect will remain in place with one lane in each direction under a 30mph speed restriction while these works are under way.
There will also be temporary traffic signals on the main carriageway to briefly hold traffic while lifting is taking place.
Transport Scotland has said the works are a key part of the AWPR scheme.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “These vital bridge reconstruction works at Stonehaven are taking place over a weekend and at night.
“Once the beams are in place, the contractor will continue to reconstruct the A90 southbound carriageway. After these works are complete, the contraflow on the northbound carriageway will move to the new southbound carriageway to allow the remainder of the existing bridge to be demolished and reconstructed.
“The works at Stonehaven involves widening the B979 Netherley Road and the creation of a new roundabout, which will form the junction between the AWPR, the A90 and the B979. A new slip road on to the A90 from the B979 has already opened.”