Road works update for week starting 6 March 2023

A roundup of works underway or soon to start around Orkney, for the week starting Monday 6 March:

A section of the A986 Harray Straight (the main road from Finstown are to Dounby) is down to one lane at the moment (as at Friday 3 March) for remedial works on steel plates which have been in place over a damaged culvert there. The section is coned and lit - drivers asked to please drive accordingly while the lane closure is in place. Please note both lanes will be closed for a short time on Monday 6 March, to allow crews to get an additional plate into place. This work will be carried out to minimise disruption to traffic, and outwith school transport and public bus times.

Drainage works are underway at the junction of the A967 and Kirbister Road, Stromness, with the Kirbister Road being closed to all traffic at the junction with A967, which will have an impact on school transport. Affected properties can be accessed via the Hutter Road. It is expected to take around three weeks to complete the works in this area. Public bus Service 7 and 8S are affected and following diversions.

A section of verge reconstruction on the Old Finstown Road between the access to Cursiter Quarry and Cruan Road is planned to start on 6 March and should take around four weeks to complete. The work will be carried out under road closure conditions with no access to the area for the duration of the work on site. A signed diversion will be in place via Zions Loan for all traffic. School transport and the public bus service 7 (Birsay) will follow the signed diversion.

Works to repair sections of the Westside Road, Eday, have started and are expected to continue until the end of March. The work will be carried out under road closure conditions however delays will be kept to a minimum.

Scottish Water on the A960 at its junction with the B9052 (to St Andrews Primary School) is ongoing and progressing along towards Toab. Traffic will be controlled by traffic lights for the duration of the work.

Openreach have works underway on the main A965 through Finstown. The works take place in stages on the stretch between Old Finstown Road and The Pomona, with traffic lights in place. This will mean slight delays for all traffic including public buses. Works are expected to be underway until mid March.

In addition to the above Openreach also have works underway at two other locations on the A965 between Biggings Road, Holm, and Heathery Loan, work is also being carried out between the Harry Road (A986) junction and Maeshowe, with the work in both areas being controlled by temporary traffic lights when staff are working on site.

Streetlighting and footway resurfacing is currently underway on Scapa Crescent and are programmed to continue until 5 April. The work will be carried out using a variety of traffic management which will include road closures at times.

Work on the retaining wall at the junction of Hammar Road and the A966 is completed. A temporary safety barrier is in place, and workers will be back on site later in March to install permanent safety fencing once those supplies arrive.

Openreach started work on the Yinstay Road, Tankerness, on 22 February with completion currently planned for 17 May 2023. Access will be maintained for school transport.

The B9069 on Sanday is currently closed between the properties of Little Isgarth and Bridge-End to enable the replacement of a damaged culvert. Works are expected to take around two weeks to complete - there is a diversion route in place for all affected traffic.

Looking ahead:

Work to construct a small section of footway at the junction of Carness Road and Craigiefield Road is planned to commence on 13 March and is programmed to take around three weeks to complete. Traffic will be controlled by temporary traffic lights. There will be minor delays for all traffic including public bus No. 9 (Kirkwall Town Service)

Work to replace some of the fence posts on the Churchill Causeways is currently planned to start in early to mid-March, with the work being carried out using a convoy vehicle to control traffic when work is being carried out on site. This will result in delays for all traffic during the working day.