First contract awarded for River Ness Flood Scheme
The Highland Council has awarded its first contract for the River Ness Flood Alleviation and Streetscape Scheme, Inverness, which aims to protect 800 households and 200 businesses from flooding and enhance the city centre riverside setting.
Coffey Construction Ltd, Livingston, will begin work on Monday 22 October on diverting utilities on both sides of the river between the Ness Bridge and Friar’s Bridge in preparation for the first phase of construction of the flood defence/streetscape scheme.
The value of the first contract, scheduled to be completed by the spring of next year, is £1.5 million. Site offices will be established at 16 Lotland Street, Inverness. The Highland Council's representative is Kevin Silverton. Tel 0755 774 442 email: RiverNessFAS@highland.gov.uk
Coffey will unveil their work programme at a public drop-in exhibition being held at Inverness Town House between noon – 7 pm on Wednesday 10 October. At this event, the public will have the chance of meeting the project team, who will be their principal point of contact through the period of the contract. Any issues or details of the proposed works which require clarification will be able to be discussed at first hand with the individuals who are controlling the works.
Any businesses, organisations and individuals who feel they may be affected by the works will benefit from attending the exhibition.
In advance of work starting, the Council will publicise key points of contact on the home page of its web site: http://www.www.highland.gov.uk/. This will include details of progress, relevant diversions and updates on any critical issues that may affect the public during the course of the works.
Meetings are on-going with Stagecoach to provide diversion routes for buses to minimise the disruption to their services during the temporary road closures..
The overall scheme is likely to take until April 2015 to complete. It attracted 80% funding from the Scottish Government. The Council met the balance.
The Council will work with Coffey to minimise inconvenience to the public, but recognises that traffic disruption in the city centre is unavoidable given the nature of the scheme. The public is urged to consider how the proposed works may affect their journeys during this period and consider alternative routes which may help ease pressure on the traffic system.
Coffey’s task is to divert utilities to enable construction of the scheme in the central section. In order to safely divert gas and water pipes on Huntly Street, parking and traffic restrictions will be enforced between 22 October 2012 and April 2013.
Works will progress in discrete sections with the temporary suspension of localised parking. However, traffic flows will be maintained via diversions. Access will be maintained for businesses, residents, blue badge holders and emergency vehicles at all times.
On the opposite side of the river, work is needed to replace electricity, gas and communication services. Closures of Friar’s Street and Bank Street and Friar’s Lane to through traffic between Fraser Street and Academy Street may be required for periods between 22 October and 10 December 2012 and between 4 January and 11 February 2013. Diversions will be in place for the road closures.
A summary of the proposed impacts of the utility diversions is as follows:
Huntly Street: Parking will be suspended, as required, for a period of time between 22 October and April 2013. Phased road closures between side roads will be required between November and April 2013 when access to through traffic will be suspended. Local diversions will be in place. Access for emergency services, blue badge holders, businesses and residences will be maintained.
Bank Street/Bridge Street Junction: To minimise disruption and to maintain two-way traffic movement across the Ness Bridge, overnight working will take place. This will involve approximately 3 nights of night time working.
Bank Street (between Fraser Street and Bridge Street): During the Bank Street/Friars Lane closure, access for buses, taxis and businesses will be maintained via Ness Bridge. Two-way traffic will be reinstated between 10 December and 4 January and from 11 February onwards.
Bank Street to Fraser Street and Friar’s Lane: Bank Street (between the junction of Friar’s Lane/Douglas Row and Fraser Street) and Friar’s Lane will be closed for a period of time between 22 October and 10 December and between 4 January and 11 February, next year. Diversion routes will be in place across Friar’s Bridge and Kenneth Street. Shorter diversion routes for buses are being sought to maintain services. Access to Douglas Row, Church Street, Friar’s Street and Fraser Street will be maintained at all times.
Douglas Row, Riverside Street, Friar’s Street and Glebe Street: Parking will be suspended, as required, between November 2012 and April, 2013 and road closures will be required to allow the necessary utility diversion works. Access for emergency services, businesses and residences will be maintained at all times.
Construction of the Flood Alleviation Scheme: Following completion of the utility diversion contract, works will commence on the construction of the flood walls, associated infrastructure and streetscaping. It is anticipated that works between Ness Bridge and Friars Bridge will follow on immediately from the utility diversion contract, with construction taking 18 months. During this time, works on the downstream section from Friars Bridge to Inverness Harbour will commence with planned completion in March 2015.
It is recognised that such works will also cause disruption and associated traffic management but this will be minimised as much as possible, and will publicised prior to each construction phase commencing.
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