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Scottish Moveable Road Bridge Closes For The First Time

road-bridge

Aug 15, 2024

Global Highways

Global Highways

Renfrew Bridge, the first moveable structure on the River Clyde in the west of Scotland, was successfully closed in a test this week.

Renfrew Bridge in the closed position. Credit: GRAHAM

The 184m cable-stayed twin-leaf bridge connects Renfrew with Yoker across the Clyde. It is intended for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, and swings open for the passage of river traffic.

Civil engineers GRAHAM are installing the bridge, which will be open in late autumn. Following the first successful closure, GRAHAM will go on to conduct commissioning, including reliability and operational testing, of opening and closing procedures.

The new bridge is part of Renfrewshire Council’s Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside Project. Also involved are Hardesty & Hanover, Roughan & O’Donovan, Ramboll, Amey, Hycom Engineering, and Fairfield Control Systems. The two parts of the bridge were manufactured in the Netherlands by Hollandia Infra and by Smulders Iemants in Belgium. They were brought in by barge across the English Channel and the Irish Sea (link opens in new tab).

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Scotland: Plans Submitted For Segregated Active Travel Route Between Aviemore And Carrbridge

Scotland: Plans Submitted For Segregated Active Travel Route Between Aviemore And CarrbridgeA planning application has been lodged today for a proposed 9km active travel route for walking, wheeling and cycling, which will provide a safer, more direct link between Aviemore and Carrbridge, linking up with existing routes in the area. Following feedback from the public, the plans include a signalised crossing of the A95 at Granish. Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government is committed to promoting active travel in Scotland and making it easier for people to choose walking, wheeling or cycling through safer routes. “As part of this ambition, we are working with our partners in the Cairngorms National Park Authority, The Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and Sustrans to deliver this new, safer Aviemore to Carrbridge route. “Active travel is fundamental to all of this Government’s priorities and a vital enabler to our National Transport Strategy outcomes; making active travel easily accessible and safer for people of all ages.” The 9 km segregated preferred route will provide a safer, more direct route between Aviemore and Carrbridge linking up with existing active travel routes in the area. The new route will also provide an opportunity for circular trips between Aviemore, Carrbridge and Boat of Garten by using the existing Speyside Way. (Pic: Mapillary)

Revamping America’S Bridges

Roads & Bridges

Revamping America’S BridgesThe 2025 construction season has begun, and bridge projects across the country are moving forward. Today, bridge projects in Rhode Island, New York and Ohio take center stage. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has confirmed the execution of a $221 million federal grant dedicated to Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge project. “This is good news for everyone, including the contractors bidding on the project, knowing there will be no delays,” said Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee at a press conference last week. “The timing is right.” The Trump Administration inherited over 3,200 unobligated grants from its predecessor, which had been promised but never implemented. These unfulfilled commitments resulted in delayed infrastructure investments nationwide. While funding for the Washington Bridge was initially proposed in the fall of 2024, the previous administration did not finalize the agreement. Under Secretary Duffy, the Department of Transportation aims to accelerate the allocation of these long-overdue resources to improve critical infrastructure. The westbound section of Washington Bridge on Interstate-195 has been closed since December 2023 because of significant structural failures discovered during reconstruction. Issues such as severed tie rods, deteriorating post-tensioned concrete girders and poor concrete quality led officials to determine that a full replacement was necessary. Washington Bridge serves as a vital transportation link. It spans the Seekonk River and connects Providence with East Providence. Built in 1969, the westbound bridge carried five lanes of traffic and linked key highways. This connection plays a crucial role in regional travel between Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. “He clearly understands the economy is attached to these infrastructure improvements,” McKee said of Duffy. A $61 million project to replace two aging bridges on Interstate 490 in Perinton, N.Y. begins today. According to officials from the New York State Department of Transportation, westbound traffic on I-490 will be reduced to a single lane as crews work to replace the bridges spanning Kreag Road and the Erie Canal. Additionally, Exit 27 at Bushnell’s Basin was closed on Monday, and eastbound traffic will be limited to one lane starting April 7. “Both of these bridges are around 80 years old, built in the 1950's, so they’ve reached the point where they are beyond their useful life," Christopher Reeve, regional director at NYSDOT, said to WHAM 13. Reeve explained that continued maintenance is no longer a practical solution. To manage traffic flow, NYSDOT is implementing a zipper merge. In Grove City, Ohio, a construction project will result in the long-term closure of the Gantz Road Bridge. According to officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the bridge over Interstate 270 will be closed for 120 days starting today. The closure will allow for extensive rehabilitation. The project includes replacing and repairing guardrails, widening the bridge to accommodate a shared-use path and replacing the bridge deck, according to a report from WBNS 10. During the closure, a designated detour will direct drivers along Home Road, U.S. Route 62, Frank Road and back to Gantz Road. Additionally, ODOT plans to conduct rehabilitation work on the McComb Road and Trabue Road bridges over I-270. Sources: USDOT, Rhode Island Current, WHAM 13, WBNS 10.

Galliford Try Named In Sizewell C Contracts For Construction Of Link Road And Bypass

New Civil Engineer (Road)

Galliford Try Named In Sizewell C Contracts For Construction Of Link Road And BypassSizewell C has awarded road and infrastructure contracts to Galliford Try and local firms to support the construction of the 3.2GW nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. Galliford Try has been appointed to the construction of a new 6.5km Sizewell Link Road and 1.8km Two Village Bypass, while Suffolk-based, family-owned civil engineering contractor, Breheny Civil Engineering has been engaged to build two new connecting roundabouts on the A12. The Sizewell Link Road – expected to be completed in 2027 – will be a 6.5km new road bypassing local villages, Theberton and Middleton Moor, with new roundabouts and junction at each end to connect to existing road infrastructure. The Two Village Bypass – to be built by the end of 2026 – will enable construction traffic to bypass the villages of Farnham and Stratford St Andrew. The connecting A12 roundabouts at Friday Street and Yoxford are intended to enable safer connections and improve safety on parts of the A12 regarded as a risk for drivers. The contracts have been awarded in line with preparations to progress the delivery of off-site infrastructure to support the construction of the nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. They follow an earlier award to Ipswich-based Jackson Civil Engineering to deliver key road schemes for the project. The new major road schemes will play a role in limiting the impact on the existing road infrastructure and reducing local impacts during the construction phase. Sizewell C has committed to delivering 60% of materials by rail or sea to limit impacts on local roads, and recently announced a trial of hydrogen buses to transport construction workers. Sizewell C site delivery director Damian Leydon described the contracts as “a milestone in the offsite infrastructure we need to build Sizewell C.” He added: “By building these roads and roundabouts, we can deliver what we need safely and efficiently, and we can reduce the impact of construction traffic on the existing road network here in Suffolk at the same time.” Leydon added that minimising disruption was “a big part of our job”, adding that the new road schemes would form part of a wider programme to enable this, including park and rides, freight management facilities, and rail and sea infrastructure. He noted that the contracts also demonstrated the Sizewell C’s commitment “to delivering high-value contracts to businesses here in Suffolk and across the UK” adding that there was an “abundance of the kind of skilled people we need right here in this region.” Breheny Civil Engineering regional commercial director Mark Burrows said: “Sizewell C offers Suffolk an incredible opportunity to showcase the region’s extensive talent and resources, providing work opportunities for years to come. “We originally worked on Sizewell B in the 1980s, we have completed several projects on Sizewell C already, and we’re delighted to have now been awarded the construction of the new roundabouts on the A12 at Yoxford and Friday Street. “We’ve been working on sections of the A12 since the 1970s and look forward to continuing to improve the A12 with the building of the new roundabouts to support the construction of Sizewell C.” Breheny employs in-house teams and has a long-term supply chain, delivering works across East Anglia, the Southeast, Midlands and Yorkshire. Suffolk Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Dugmore said: “Witnessing the breadth of activity now taking place across the project, alongside the growing list of contracts being awarded to local and regional firms such as Breheny and Jacksons, is the start of what Sizewell C will continue to deliver as part of their nuclear new build legacy in Suffolk. “With the government’s recent announcements around construction jobs and bringing forward at pace infrastructure projects, it is more important than ever before that Sizewell C and other major developers harness local and regional supply chains. This will ensure together we build a legacy for an ever-vibrant local economy, and act as a catalyst for growth and investment for the county and region.” Sizewell C has said it will support “70,000 high-quality jobs across the UK” and is committed to spending £4.4bn in the East of England alone across the construction period. It has over 1,000 working on the project and is expected to have around 2000 people by the end of the year. Around 60 apprentices have joined the project to date - the first of a projected 1,500 apprenticeships the project will deliver over the construction period, 540 of which will come from the local area. The cost of building the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk has doubled since the plans were presented to the UK government in 2020 and could now reach close to £40bn, according to Financial Times reporting in January. NCE recently reported that French energy company EDF had reduced its stake in Sizewell C following investment by the UK government using its Devex (development expenditure) subsidy scheme established last August. The government said it had created the Sizewell C Devex Scheme to “provide the government with greater flexibility to cover development expenditure costs up to and including FID, subject to appropriate Value for Money (VfM) assessments and approvals at the relevant time”. Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here.

New Programme Of Council Road And Footway Improvements In Wolverhampton To Help Tackle Potholes Across City

New Programme Of Council Road And Footway Improvements In Wolverhampton To Help Tackle Potholes Across CityA raft of new road and footway improvements to help prevent potholes will be put into action by City of Wolverhampton Council. A budget of £9.2 million for the highways capital programme 2025/26 was bolstered by an additional £500,000 council investment to help fix and prevent surface defects at last month’s council cabinet meeting. It will see dozens of roads and footways across the city given a new lease of life. Roads included in the approved programme of improvements for 2025/26 – a mixture of resurfacing and surface dressing – can be seen in the list below along with approved footway improvements, with others to be confirmed. Councillor Qaiser Azeem, City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Green City, said: “Addressing potholes is a priority for City of Wolverhampton Council as we understand how important a safe and well maintained highways network is for all modes of transport.“While we carry out thousands of repairs to potholes every year, and will continue to do so, prevention work is key in the long term.“That is why we are investing in a further programme of resurfacing and other surface treatments informed by condition surveys and inspections across the network, identifying where improvements can make the most difference.“This approach is considered best practice nationally and will help us to reduce the need for reactive repairs in the long run.”Surface dressing can extend the life of roads, reducing the need for reactive repairs. It is completed quickly with little disruption to traffic. Where more extensive work is required, full resurfacing projects are completed. Over the past 5 years the council has treated more than 560 square kilometres of carriageway by resurfacing or surface dressing and repaired more than 58,000 defects in roads and footways – up to 44 per working day. Pothole repairs are carried out throughout the year too as the council strikes a balance between preventative and reactive work. The highways capital programme also funds road safety and traffic management work, upgrades to car parks, streetlighting upgrades and more. PIC-WOLVERHALPTON COUNCIL

Durham Pcc Commits To Safer Roads With Raft Of Initiatives

Durham Pcc Commits To Safer Roads With Raft Of InitiativesThe Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham is committing to safer roads by promising more mobile speed cameras and new awareness and education campaigns to promote safe driving. Joy Allen told the Northern Echo newspaper: “People continuously contact me with concerns about speeding vehicles and safety for all road users. It is a fact that too many people are killed or seriously injured on the roads.” In an article she shared on her LinkedIn page, she’s quoted as saying: “We know from our extensive engagement work the public want to help us make our roads safer, whether that is by submitting dashcam footage, being part of a local community speed watch scheme or most importantly using our roads and shared spaces responsibly and abiding by the laws of the road.” She also talked about public education around drink-driving, with her quoted as saying: “Drink or drug driving is a selfish and inexcusable act. It is vital our justice system sufficiently punishes those who recklessly gamble with people’s lives and cause these devastating tragedies to prevent them from harming other innocent people in the future.” In January, Ms Allen, who is Association of PCCs joint lead on policing and transport told a Project EDWARD event in Parliament: “Last year’s operation involved 44 police forces across England and Wales and nearly 50,000 breath tests, almost 10% of these tested positive, failed or refused,” she said. “Nearly 7,000 drug tests were conducted, with nearly 50% of these testing positive, and our police officers, thankfully made thousands of arrests as a result, drivers who put themselves and other road users in danger through alcohol and drugs deserve to pay a high price for their recklessness and selfishness.” (Picture – Yay Images)

Options Considered – And Ruled Out – For Hammersmith Bridge Future

Options Considered – And Ruled Out – For Hammersmith Bridge FutureMore details have emerged about the first meeting in three years of the Hammersmith Bridge Task Force, which is considering what to do about the London river crossing which has been closed for six years because of structural safety issues. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has obtained minutes of the meeting on 30 January through a Freedom of Information request. It has found that proposals to turn the bridge into a completely inaccessible “monument”, or to demolish and replace it with a brand new river crossing, were both suggested by the Government but rejected by the group, which is made up of Department for Transport officials, council representatives, MPs on either side of the bridge, Transport for London, and London’s deputy mayor for transport, Seb Dance. It says one option being considered is to reopen the bridge for all users, including motor vehicles, by building a temporary, double-decker truss through the existing bridge to allow the structure to be repaired while vehicles drive through it. Other options on the table are bridge repair and restoration, sufficient to allow for active travel (pedestrians and cyclists) only plus two single decker buses or bridge repair and restoration, sufficient to allow for pedestrians and cyclists only. You can read a full report into what the LDRS has found on FulhamSW6.com here. (Picture – LBHF)

Clearview Intelligence Solarlite Road Stud Wins Live Labs “Dragons’ Den”

Clearview Intelligence Solarlite Road Stud Wins Live Labs “Dragons’ Den”A solar-powered road stud solution being used in the East Riding of Yorkshire to reduce emissions from streetlighting has won a “Dragons’ Den”-style pitching session at the ADEPT Live Labs 2 expo. The Clearview Intelligence SolarLite solution uses solar powered illuminated road studs to provide Lane delineation to examine how they can be used instead of streetlighting, cutting carbon and light pollution while maintaining safety. “We truly feel this is a transformative solution to change the way we light our roads whilst ensuring safety runs through the veins of our decarbonising agenda,” commented Head of Business Development Ralph Bates. “Extended thanks to our Live Labs project team headed up by Karl Rourke and John Lamb for believing in this solution and helping us take things to the next level.” The solution was chosen among a range of Net Zero-focussed solutions presented at the meeting in Liverpool to ‘Dragons’ Rupert Furness, Deputy Director, Local Highways and Active Travel at the Department for Transport, Angela Halliwell, Head of Carbon and Air Quality Group at National Highways, and Mike Batheram, Market Director for Local Transport from Atkins Réalis. “This project is already receiving early recognition, with a view to be setting a new standard for lighting design and supporting the DfT with a step change in the normalisation and uptake of low carbon solutions,” Ralph Bates continued. “Local residents to the test beds in East Riding of Yorkshire have already provided overwhelmingly positive feedback and encourage the replacement of traditional lighting columns with this new low carbon delineation solution which gives them back their dark skies and maintains/improves road safety. “Rather than local authorities designing in swathes of street lighting on new road developments, because that’s what they’ve always done, they can actually now be better informed. We can show that there’s a better way of doing things with huge carbon savings as well as huge financial savings.” You can view the slides from Ralph Bates’ presentation here. (Picture – ADEPT)