21 October 2009

East Hill Information

East Hill Works - Permanent Traffic Lights Complete by Christmas
The major improvements to the East Hill junction, off the A30 dual carriageway, are crucial to a wide range of regeneration projects in the area.  Only after this work is complete will the Highways Agency allow significant development work to take place in this area as the new junction and traffic lights are designed to avoid the danger of traffic queuing back onto the A30.  This work has allowed the construction of the Pool Innovation Centre and the opening up of further land for employment space.

The work has now reached the stage where the significant task to remove the roundabouts and realign the roads to the new traffic lights will take place.  This will cause the most disruption to traffic flow as the temporary lights will need to be used from 0830 to 1530 and 1800 to 0500 in order for this work to take place.

This stage of work will be complete by Christmas when the permanent traffic lights will take over.  There will be some further works still to complete around the junction but these have been organised to take place using the permanent traffic lights.

Background Information
. The road improvement scheme, being carried out by Cornwall Council's contractor, includes the dualling of a section of the A3047 from the A30 to the junction with Trevenson Road & Dudnance Lane, known as 'East Hill Junction', upgrading of the existing Gas Lane, signalisation of the A3047 College Junction and the provision of permanent four-way traffic signals as a replacement for the current double mini roundabout array.
. Work commenced in November 2008, since then disruption to the road network around these works has been minimized by restricting normal working practices to avoid implementing the use of temporary traffic signals or other forms of obstructive traffic management.
. These works were subject to rigorous planning and programming. This included early consultation with all affected parties, advance approvals in terms of traffic management proposals subject to the Traffic Management Act, letter drops, advance signing and press/media coverage.
. Local radio stations have included these works in their respective traffic reports since November 2008.
. The Council updated these traffic reports on the 16th September 2009 (via its Media office) to give up to date notification of the inclusion of daytime temporary traffic signals for the remainder of the works. This notification stated that 'temporary four-way traffic signals would be used at the junction from Monday 21st September 2009 between the hours of 0830 - 1530 daytime and 1800 - 0500 for night working'. We amended the start time to 0930 in respect of the daytime working from Tuesday 22nd September 09 to ease the commuter flows after monitoring took place during the Monday.  Work will need to begin at 0830 in the next few weeks when the roundabouts are removed.
. The operation and timing of these signals is constantly monitored, particularly with regard to potential traffic queuing on to the A30 trunk road network. Manual operation of the signals as opposed to 'timed' or 'vehicle actuated' control is used to mitigate this situation as it arises.
. The Council's contractor is being assisted by the Council's Streetworks Department in respect of the County network and the Highways Agency in respect of issues affecting the A30 trunk road.
. Extra signs have been placed on the A30 in advance of the West bound Slip off advising Camborne bound traffic to use the 'Camborne West' exit since Monday 21st September 2009.
. The monitoring process that is being used highlighted a significant decrease in the volume of traffic using the junction since Monday 21st September 2009.  Monitoring of the traffic flows will continue with tuning of the signals and amending of the signage when necessary.
. The permanent traffic signals are planned to be commissioned by the 18th December 2009 at which time the current temporary signals will be removed from the junction.