A9 road (Scotland)

Template: Infobox trunk road / Maintenance / GB -A

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Scotland

The A9 road (English for, A9 '), also known as Highland Highway is, with a length of 439 km, the longest trunk road in Scotland. It runs in a north -south direction and connects the Central Belt located Falkirk with Scrabster on the Pentland Firth. Between Perth and Inverness is part of the European route 15

Course

The M9 motorway, which branches off to the west of Edinburgh in the north of the M8, is the precursor of the A9. The A9 itself begins as a branch of the M9 east of Falkirk. During its first 32 km, it follows the direction of the M9 to the northwest and southeast of Bannockburn crosses it. Between Bridge of Allan and Dunblane M9 finally ends at a roundabout and there merges again with the A9. In this first section of the A9 route runs through the towns of Falkirk, Bannockburn, Stirling and St Ninian. After the open out of the M9, the road leads in a northeasterly direction to Perth, where the M90 from the south joins coming. In the course of the A9 leads north into the Highlands. When Inverness they crossed on the Kessock Bridge the Beauly Firth and about 20 km further at Dingwall to the Cromarty Firth. Largely following the shoreline crossing the A9 on the Dornoch Firth to the Dornoch Firth Bridge west of Tain. Then it follows the coast profile to Latheron, where it bends to the north and finally reached Thurso and Scrabster.

On a long distance between Perth and Inverness, the route of the Highland Main Line along the A9 is out. Between Dingwall and Tain and Golspie and Helmsdale between the Far North Line follows its course substantially.

Kessock Bridge over the Beauly Firth

Dornoch Firth Bridge

Tracks of the Far North Line parallel to the A9

Extension

Between Dunblane and Perth A9 is expanded highway-like and has two lanes in each direction. North of Perth, this concept is discontinued and the A9 to Inverness is only partially expanded two lanes in each direction. North of Inverness is only one lane in each direction available. However, the exchange between one-and zweispurigem expansion leads to an increased frequency of accidents on these sections. More black spots are the roundabouts at Keir ( merging with the M9) and Broxden ( merging with the M90 ​​).

Currently, the full four-lane extension of the A9 to Inverness is discussed. This would in addition to increasing the capacity and reducing the travel time and a reduction in the number of accidents result. However, the environmental impact of such a development is considered negative. It is planned to carry out the expansion in two stages. During the first stage of the two-lane expansion between Perth and Blair Atholl to occur. In addition, alterations at the crossroads between Dunblane and Perth, as well as two roundabouts should lead to a reduction in the number of accidents. Between Blair Atholl and Inverness slow lanes should be established on slopes. For the realization of these measures cost between 500 million and one billion pounds are estimated. The second stage includes the full four-lane expansion to Inverness. It is estimated at £ 1.5-3 billion. The Scottish Government signaled a start of construction in 2012 provided the necessary financial resources are available. For the implementation of the two stages, a period is discussed by 2025.

Importance

Along the A9 there are several important cities, which it connects to the trunk road network:

• Falkirk
• Grangemouth
• Stirling
• Dunblane
• Perth
• Pitlochry
• Inverness
• Dingwall
• Tain
• Thurso

She is the only Scottish trunk road that runs and is considered the backbone of the sparsely populated Highlands for long stretches in a north-south direction. In the north the A9 ends at Scrabster pier, the ferry to the Orkneys starts and thus is an important factor for passenger and goods transportation to the island group dar.