Work is progressing on the new junction on the A1 near Queen Margaret University (QMU).
Temporary speed limits are already in place on the A1 near the Craighall site while preparatory work continues.
Diversions for motorists will start around late May / early June 2022 when a new temporary route past the site, taking traffic off the A1 for a short stretch, will be in place. The existing on-slip from the QMU campus onto the A1 southbound is expected to close from late June for around two months. A diversion will also be in place for this.
Full details of the diversions and up-to-date timescales will be widely publicised closer to the time to give motorists and local residents advance notice so that they can plan for any potential disruption to their journeys.
The works will involve the construction of a new northbound on slip-road to the A1 and a new off slip-road from the A1 northbound carriageway which will each meet a newly constructed roundabout, providing access to the future development area around QMU, along with a link road to the existing junction at QMU, which will pass underneath the A1.
The junction will provide critical infrastructure to improve accessibility and connectivity to QMU which, in partnership with East Lothian Council, is delivering an Innovation Hub adjacent to the university – phase one of a wider Edinburgh Innovation Park.
Following a tender process, the contract for the junction work was awarded to John Paul Construction. East Lothian Council is working with John Paul Construction to deliver the junction by December 2022.
Henry Scanlon, Civil Engineering Director at John Paul Construction (JPC), said: “JPC is delighted to be selected by East Lothian Council (ELC) to construct the QMU grade separated junction on the A1. This project builds on JPC’s experience of delivering critical trunk road projects in Scotland in recent years. We look forward to working with ELC and all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of this critical infrastructure project.”