- Posts: 133
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:41 pm
dazplott wrote:I don't think there is any chance of a flyover at Ocean way. They haven't splayed the carriageway as new road joins the roundabout so there is no room for a ramp. They don't appear to have prepared for a flyover on the Queensgate end either, so I think they have destroyed any reasonable chance of there being fully grade separated EBL in the future. Whilst there is probably just enough space to dual Rover Way, its going to be a nightmare in terms of disruption. Its aways seemed a very poorly constructed roadway and will probably need extensive works to fully stabilise the ground. The early 90s route was along the foreshore on a viaduct/embankment with a possible intersection at Seawall Road. To my mind this remains the only feasible solution for a grade separated route. Best case, they might be able to drop the two existing roundabouts near the steelworks on Rover Way and provide an access road to the industrial units on the south side via a new roundabout at Seawall Road. Then you've still got the Tesco junction at the Lamby Way end and the docks access just off ocean way roundabout... unless you build a long bridge across the railway line from Ocean Way roundabout . Either way, I think the construction costs will be broadly similar to the first phase e.g. £50M/Km
Not having a grade separated Eastern Link would be monumentally stupid, though. Cardiff Council have an opportunity to build a motorway standard ring road, but they decide on roundabouts.. Not many cities in the UK have a completely grade separated ring road.. In fact he only ones I can think of are London, Manchester and Coventry. (if you could even call Coventry's one a Ring Road, due to it being so close to the city centre) It would be fantastic for Cardiff. But you never know, not splaying the carriageways is not enough evidence in my opinion.
Unless they grade separate it from Ocean way onwards (and have a non grade separated road from Ocean way to Queensgate).... Because if you think about it, not many people will be driving past the Bay to get to the other side of the city! It would save lots of £!