Aberdeen motorists are poised to endure months of roadworks misery on some of the city’s busiest routes.
A 10-month project to replace underground electricity cables is slated to get under way on Monday, January 20, which has been put back from the original January 12 start date due to “adverse weather conditions”.
Workers will dig up sections of Great Southern Road, West Tullos Road and Wellington Road in the near year-long scheme.
Some work has already taken place at SSE’s Redmoss substation on Langdykes Road at Cove to prepare for the upgrades.
Energy bosses say the cables beneath these streets are at the end of their lifespan, and all need replaced, with the works to begin at Wellington Road, which will result in lane restrictions.
How will Aberdeen roadworks be rolled out?
The scheme will take place in stages – running three miles from the spot on the southern outskirts of Aberdeen to the Clayhills substation on South College Street.
This means the affected routes, which also includes Ferryhill Road, Millburn Street and Whinhill Road, will not all be impacted at once.
To deal with the disruption, temporary traffic management will be put in place during the various stages of the project.
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More disruption near South College Street
These works will not be the first to disrupt the South College Street area, as the street was closed between June 2022 and July 2023 in order to have its road widened and cycles lanes installed.
Extra approach lanes at its junctions with Millburn Street and Wellington Place were also part of the £10.7 million works, however, it will not need to be dug up for these works.
Despite the amount of money spent by Aberdeen City Council, nearly 80% of Press and Journal readers that took part in a poll said the improvements had made no difference to the main road.
A spokesman for SSEN said: “We are working closely with our contractors and Aberdeen City Council in respect of the traffic management arrangements for this project and we would like to thank the public for their patience as we carry out this work which is vital to a secure, reliable power supply for the city.
“While road restrictions will be necessary to allow our contractors to carry out the work safely, the replacement cables will utilise our existing underground duct network, which will minimise excavation works, traffic management and road closures as far as possible.”
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Aberdeen has new ‘hub’ for electricity transmission revamp
Calls to compensate Aberdeen traders left out of pocket by South College Street roadworks
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