Midlothian Council has revealed that Rullion Road is set to join Mauricewood Road by closing for resurfacing works, causing new misery for motorists this March.
Penicuik’s residents will face fresh disruption from Monday 27 February* as Rullion Road closes for resurfacing works. The works, which are set to take ten weeks, will see the road close between Glencross Gardens and number 196. During this period, residents along the 320m stretch will be unable to access their driveways and vehicles will have to be parked outside the closure zone. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout. Works will however be undertaken in stages to allow vehicular access to Caplaw Way and Lowrie Avenue.
Lothian services X15, 37 and X37 will be diverted during the closure, likely via Cuiken Terrace. In previous resurfacing projects, Midlothian Council has operated a free shuttle service for properties that are cut off from the altered bus route. It is not yet known whether this will be provided on this occasion.
In other roadwork news, Scottish Water has announced a substantial delay to their A702 Mauricewood pipeline diversion programme. The preparatory works, which will allow for the construction of a new £4.7M roundabout on the trunk route, were due to conclude in October 2016. However, last year, the end date was delayed to 31 March 2017. The latest announcement states that the utility company now hopes to complete the works by Autumn 2017 after suffering “engineering challenges” during the works to date. Those neighbouring the construction site have been warned that contractors will now be working six or seven days a week to prevent further slippage. A statement from Scottish Water says:
Work is continuing on the diversion of the raw water mains pipe at Mauricewood Road in Penicuik. Due to the engineering challenges we have faced and the complicated nature of this work it is proving to be taking longer than expected. Currently one pipeline is fully complete and installed and another two are ready and waiting to be installed in a deep trench.
Our delivery partners Farrans will be increasing their working days from 5 to 6 and sometimes 7 days a week in order to minimise the overall duration.
The target date for completion is Autumn 2017.
They added that the public can expect two separate three week closures of Mauricewood Road in June and July respectively. More information about these will be made available closer to the time. The delay of this initial stage of works now means that the new roundabout will not be delivered until early to mid 2018, nearly a year later than envisaged.
Mauricewood Road has been closed to through traffic from 16 January to allow Taylor Wimpey to install a new roundabout into their Greenlaw Mill housing development. It is due to reopen by April. Works are currently underway to establish the roundabout’s sub base and kerbs (pictured).
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*This article was updated on Monday 20 February to change the proposed closure date from Monday 20 February to Monday 27 February. The proposed duration of works was also changed from six to ten weeks.