The scheme covers the upgrade of existing motorway network to increase capacity by widening the carriageway to four lanes over a length of 24km.
The scheme is the first Highways Agency Early Contractor Involvement contract where the target cost has come in below scheme budget. This is due to innovations led by WSP’s designers including:
- Provision of a reduced cross section design – 0.75m narrower than standard four lane section
- Revised widening solutions at underbridges that allow retention of existing wingwalls with reduced materials quantities and reduced disruption to residents
- Analytical design of pavements to retain as much existing construction as possible
Innovative traffic management system used for the first time in UK
The innovative moveable steel barrier traffic management system being used, will allow three traffic lanes to be operational between 6am and 8pm and a reduced lane capacity overnight to increase the available working area.
Reducing carbon footprint
A total of 120.000 trees are being planted, of which 30,000 hardwood trees are being grown from locally sourced seeds instead of being imported, to reduce carbon footprint.
Benefits of an integrated delivery team
- Scope for innovation
- Improved risk management
- Better forward planning of resources
- Improved control of buildability
- Improved control of health and safety
- Shorter construction period
Client: MVM Consortium comprising Morgan Est, Vinci Grands Projets and Sir Robert McAlpine.
Project size:
- Widening of carriageway to four lanes over a length of 24km
- 47 over head signal gantries up to 57m span
- Upgrade of 44 structures, including demolition and replacement of one overbridge
- Planting of 120,000 trees
- 10km of soil nailing and 3km retaining walls for earth retention
Status: commenced January 2007, on site January 2008, completion due Autumn 2010
Services provided:
- Highway and structures design
- Geotechnics
- Signs and lighting
- Drainage
- Pavement design
- Motorway communications
- Environmental design