By Lynda Myer
In order to handle the notorious section of the A83 in Scotland, a tunnel is among options.
Due to the danger of landslides, the A83, which is a key road to the Scottish Highlands, is often banded at Rest and Be Thankful section and it was most recently closed in February after heavy rain.
While campaigners have been rivaling for a steady fix, currently Transport Scotland has called five organizations in order to tender for the design of a long-term solution, which are: Arcadis Consulting (UK)/ Sweco UK; Arup & Fairhurst; Atkins/WSP UK; Stantec UK / RPS Consulting Services; and Jacobs/Aecom.
Including tunneling, five options are being considered for a selective path at Glen Croe and Transport Scotland has been consulting with the Norwegian government on how it deals with similar conditions.
According to Transport minister Jenny Gilruth: “As two of the five options for the long-term solution include a tunnel, we have held discussions with the Norwegian government to learn from their experiences in assessing and building tunnels. As the project progresses, we will continue to learn from Norway’s experience, and that of other relevant communities and countries as we work towards finding the right solution to meet the need to create a truly resilient and safe route for the A83.”
In order to conduct ground investigations and assist in identifying a long-term solution for the landslide-prone section of the Scottish Highlands road, Raeburn Drilling & Geotechnical has been chosen by Transport Scotland in January 2022.
