Inverness West Link Road - ground condition investigations under way.

Work is under way along the route of the Inverness West Link Road to establish ground conditions which will help inform the detailed design of the £27 million project.

The Highland Council has awarded a contract to Holequest Ltd of Galashiels to drill bore holes and trial pits along the line of the new route to establish full details of the exisiting ground conditions. Initial drilling has centred on the Canal Pitches, Queens Park and Torvean.

The information is vital to the detailed design work that is currently being progressed by Capita Symonds, who are assisting the Council’s Project Design Unit in providing detailed design, civil engineering and supporting services.

The ground investigation works are being carried out in two phases.  Phase 1 comprises trial pitting and boreholes and should be completed  in early January 2013 with Phase 2 to be undertaken in July 2013 and will see boreholes undertaken at the pier locations at the proposed new bridge over the River Ness.
Capita Symonds have made good progress with developing the road design.

The new road – situated at the western boundary of Inverness city – will link the Southern Distributor Road at Dores Road with the A82 Trunk Road at Torvean and will also include a new crossing of the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.  Coupled with this, the outcomes of the recent charrette and land use strategy will be integrated with the revised road network in this area.  The new road will include allowances for enhancing the recreational facilities and providing improved cycling and walking infrastructure within the design area.
 
The commission for this stage of the project will take around 12 months and will allow the Council to move forward with publication of Orders and submission of a planning application.  When all consents are in place it is intended to construct the project in 2 Stages. The first stage will cross the River Ness and link the Dores Road Roundabout with the A82 Trunk Road and the second stage will provide for the tandem crossing of the Caledonian Canal at Torvean.