Long Awaited Upgrading of Kerbs and Pavements in Gray Street Starting Monday - 100 yards better but miles to go!

The long awaited next phase of upgrading the cracked and uneven pavements in central Broughty Ferry will begin on Monday 23 September 2013. The kerbs and pavements of both sides of Gray Street between King Street and Brook Street will be replaced this time.

Council Officers advise that, to minimise disruption, the work will proceed on one side of Gray Street at a time. While the work is going on, traffic in that section of Gray Street will be restricted to one way going south (Brook Street to King Street) with no traffic allowed to drive north (King Street to Brook Street). It is proposed to start work on the east footway, with the west footway to follow. 

They also advise that the work is programmed to last six weeks  and the contractor for the works is Tayside Contracts, assisted by Kilmac Construction. Apparently, if the pavement upgrading is incomplete by 8 November, it has been agreed with the Broughty Ferry Traders that work will stop then to allow unrestricted access to shops and businesses in the lead up to Christmas. Apparently, works not completed by 8 November will be undertaken in March 2014.

During the period when Gray Street is restricted to one way, drivers will be diverted via King Street/ St Vincent Street and Brook Street. In addition, parking will be suspended on one side of Gray Street for the duration of the works while pedestrian access will be maintained to both sides of of the street.

While this upgrading is to be welcomed, many constituents and businesses in Broughty Ferry have drawn my attention over the years to the poor state of the pavements in central Broughty Ferry which I have reported to the Council. To name but three stretches of pavement:

• Brook Street, between Fort Street and Westfield Road; 
• King Street between Gray Street and Westfield Road and 
• Brook Street between St Vincent's Street and Gray Street.

So this long overdue upgrade will be:
100 yards better but there are still miles to go!

Official Opening of the Upgraded Coastal Pathway in Broughty Ferry - Good Job!

On Wednesday I attended the official opening of the upgraded section of the coastal pathway that runs between Grassy Beach and Douglas Terrace. This marks the final stage of a ten year project to refurbish and improve the coastal pathway between the Stannergate and Douglas Terrace in Broughty Ferry. This has local and wider significance.

For local people, this pathway is valued for walking, cycling and dog walking while folk enjoy the pleasures of river views and segregation from motor traffic. It is also a part of the Dundee green circular and a route into the city centre for those commuting by bike. Additionally, the extra width of this latest section of the pathway will make it easier for the sailors to manoeuvre their sailing craft on their trailers between the roadway at Douglas Terrace and their boat sheds and slipways at Grassy Beach.

Our coastal pathway is also an integral part of the National Cycling Route One between Dover in Kent and Shetland. These onward connections mean that cyclists can for example ride most of the way to Arbroath off road and on quiet back roads.

Interestingly, in this centenary year of Broughty Ferry becoming part of Dundee, one of the promised benefits from this merger was an improvement in roads and paths between Broughty Ferry and Dundee which led to the original raised pathway being built along the shore. That this was a possibility was also testament to the foresight of the former Broughty Ferry Town Council that in 1901 secured the foreshore at the Grassy Beach in West Ferry for an annual feu of £25.

Hopefully the public investment in the upgrading work from one end to the other, will have secured this important community asset for many years to come.

Thanks are deserved to Sustrans the national sustainable transport charity that were major funders and the Council's Transportation staff. The work force of Kilmac, the contractors, also deserve praise for ingeniously keeping the pathway open while they undertook the upgrading work apart from a few days when a period of temporary closure could not be avoided.

Good job!

Kilmac Put Finishing Touches to Coastal Pathway Improvements

Yesterday, Kilmac staff were putting the finishing touches to the upgrading of the coastal pathway. 

In the picture you can see they were installing the last set of safety railings at the Grassy Beach end.

Kilmac staff began the contract just before Christmas and hope to have finished on site by Friday of this week.

Coastal Pathway Almost Ready for Resurfacing and its Temporary Closure on Friday and Saturday Morning

Coastal pathway almost ready for final surfacing last night

The concrete has been laid and the new blue railings have been erected on the section of the coastal walkway between Grassy Beach and Douglas Terrace. The final major job of the upgrading of this section of the pathway is laying a smooth tarmac finish.

To give Kilmac, the contractors, a clear run at the final surfacing work, the coastal pathway will be closed for today, Friday and up to half of Saturday. A temporary diversion is in place during this period making use of Beach Lane and the footbridge over the railway.

Bearing in mind the comprehensiveness of the upgrading work, which has extended the width of the pathway by 50%, I think the contractors deserve to be congratulated for managing to minimise the number of days they have had to restrict public access to the pathway as they have carried out their work.

Douglas Terrace Potholes and Pavements Need Attention

Click on image to enlarge

On Friday, work to upgrade the coastal pathway between Grassy Beach and Douglas Terrace should be completed.

When Kilmac, the contractors, have removed their portacabins and cleaned up the site, I think it will be time for the Council to take action to fill in the potholes in the road surface and attend to some of the broken surfaces on the pavements.

I have written to the Transportation Department and Convener of City Development to raise this with them.

I have already raised the need for the Environment Department to restore the triangle of open space at the end of Douglas Terrace. The flower bed needs to be weeded and replanted, the grass cut and the ruts filled in.

Coastal Pathway Improvements Nearing Completion

Works started on the upgrading of the Coastal Pathway near Douglas Terrace just before Christmas and it's now nearing completion. 

Kilmac, the contractors, have kept to the contract period, despite contending with many periods of poor weather and a narrow period of time to work on the beach between the tides. 

The picture shows the row of new railings going up on the upgraded section of the walkway which begins just beyond the lifebuoy ring. 

Working from the Douglas Terrace end, gradually the extended width of the pathway is being opened up as the safety railings are erected.  I am advised however that there may be one further period of closure when tarmac is put down over the concrete along the full length and breadth of the upgraded section of the pathway.

I am sure walkers, dog walkers and cyclists will all appreciate the additional width of the upgraded path when it is completed in the next couple of weeks.