Current highway design projects

This is where you will find details of our current highway design projects.

Albert Road, Kings Theatre

The aim of this scheme is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the area to help promote local businesses and the King’s Theatre, the original designs being started back in 2007. The construction will take place in four sections, which will overlap as one section nears completion. Construction work on this scheme started on Monday 14 July 2008 at the northeastern section of the works, with the drainage pipes and gulley’s being initially laid, followed by the kerb line.

The final design includes:

1. Re-aligned zebra crossing with tactiles for the visually impaired, by the site of the existing one.
2. New ‘black fleck’ kerb line, which widens the pedestrian pavement. The kerb will be laid at 5mm above the road surface. Recycled kerbs from the excavation will be used to tie the widened pavement into the existing kerb line at the western extremity of the scheme.
3. New tarmac pavements with two differing streetprint designs imprinted onto it. The scheme uses a total of 3 pavement colours, light and dark grey interspersed with the occasional red square. The light and dark grey will be separated by a 3 course wavy line of setts, the shop frontages will be laid with a 3-course straight line of the same setts.
4. New drainage under the highways, to reduce the flooding potential of this area.
5. New site specific bollards (some red, some stainless steel finish) to prevent parking on the kerbs.
6. Repositioned street lighting columns closer to the new kerb line.
7. New cycle stands.
8. Specially commissioned feature signage and perches for seating at the frontage to the King’s Theatre.
9. Three new road crossing build outs with tactiles at both sides. These will be much shorter than the distance between the existing kerb lines due to the widened pavements throughout the scheme, especially at Albert Grove and Exmouth Road entrances.
10. New drainage channels, formed from the same setts as the wavy line, from the existing drainpipes to the kerb.
11. Raised service manholes to match the new levels.
12. Raised blockwork to meet the new kerb line at the entrance to the private driveway between the Eastern Eye and Fusion shops. This will also be marked by four red bollards in the pavement, two either side, to help reduce pedestrian and vehicle conflict across the pathway and highlight the driveway to passing pedestrians.

Disruption to local businesses will be kept to a minimum, although it will not be possible to complete the works without closing off shop entrances, at least temporarily for short periods of time. Shop owners will be warned of this in advance, to allow time for any measures they may need to take during this time.

ALBERT ROAD - WINTER CESSATION OF WORKS

All works have now stopped provisionally until the spring weather returns. The remaining work is only possible during warm and less humid weather; also the scaffolding on the King’s Theatre frontage has impeded access. The good news is that previous flooding issues in the area seem to have been remedied following the installation of the new drainage scheme as part of the works.

SECTION 1 (outside King’s pub): now complete with the exception of the streetprint colouring and possible tarmac replacement in patches due to failure.

SECTION 2 (outside Wine Vaults pub): also complete with the exception of the red streetprint colouring.

SECTION 3 (outside the King’s Theatre): We have received delivery of the stainless steel metal ‘name strips’ which will be installed in the pavement outside the entrance to the King’s Theatre, again when the works recommences in spring. The taxi rank is likely to be resited to outside the Wine Vaults pub from its present position outside Keyes Court during the winter period. This is due to complaints of noise and disturbance from residents of Keyes Court following relocation of the taxi rank from directly outside the King’s Theatre

SECTION 4 (outside Little Johnny Russell’s pub): complete except for the red streetprint colouring.