Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM is moving on to the delivery of a new bridge and link road after completing the pre-construction phase of the two-phase contract.
The £16.77m job, which forms part of the Chelmsford East Beaulieu S278 Works (RDR Phase 3) project, will connect the A130 Essex Regiment Way and the Beaulieu and Channels housing developments on the west side of the Great Eastern Main Line to the A12 Boreham interchange on the east side of the railway.
The scheme will see the delivery of new highways infrastructure to facilitate future phases of development at the Beaulieu Development in Chelmsford for clients Countryside and L&Q.
The works comprise a new span bridge over the railway and A12 slip-road, and approach embankments on either side linking into the new Radial Distributor Road and the existing Boreham Interchange.
The infrastructure will also form part of a local bus route and the principal HGV traffic route between the A12 and Braintree and provide a link to the proposed new Beaulieu railway station on the east side of the railway.
GRAHAM has already delivered the pre-construction phase of the contract, which required a fully co-ordinated design and installation methodology to meet the approval of National Highways and Network Rail.
Managing director Leo Martin said: ‘The Chelmsford East Beaulieu S278 works will provide important new transport links for the Beaulieu and Channels housing developments to the A12 Boreham Interchange, as well local bus and HGV routes between the A12 and Braintree.
‘The project is another excellent opportunity for our team to show its capabilities in both the highways and rail sectors.’
The new Beaulieu Rail Bridge will be a 161m long three-span structure of composite weathering steel fabricated plate girders on in-situ reinforced concrete column abutments and piers, with reinforced concrete pile-caps and bored cast in place reinforced concrete piles. The girders will be a constant depth over their full length.
The superstructure will be constructed on site, off-line on adjacent land. GRAHAM will carry out the installation by raising the complete superstructure using Self Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs), which will carry it to its final position before lowering it onto the permanent bearings.
GRAHAM said it has used this methodology successfully on previous bridge installations.
Mr Martin said: ‘The use of SPMTs to install the complete bridge rather than the traditional usage of a crane is an example of our innovative approach to civil engineering infrastructure projects and this methodology will help us install the new superstructure in the safest and most efficient manner.’
Work on the Chelmsford East Beaulieu S278 (RDR Phase 3) project is currently underway with an anticipated completion date of Spring 2023.
