Work is underway in Hull to construct a new underpass to lower the A63 at the Mytongate junction, described as ‘the key and most complex part’ of Highways England’s £355m A63 Castle Street scheme.
Excavation work is underway to create the new 400m section of dual carriageway where east-west traffic will travel below north-south traffic along the city’s busiest route, improving connections between the city centre and the retail and docks area.
Engineering work began this month and over the coming months wall panels of the underpass will be formed, as well as intricate piling work.
Project manager Fran Oliver said work on the £355m scheme is on track: ‘We’ve already carried out a large amount of work within the A63 Castle Street scheme since last year, including the completion of Murdoch’s Connection footbridge and the demolition of the Arco and Myton Centre buildings. On top of that we’re reaching the conclusion of extensive on site archaeology work at the 18th century Trinity Burial Ground.
‘As a major scheme full of complex work in a busy city centre, it presents several unique engineering challenges, and this latest and integral part of constructing the underpass is arguably the most complex.’
A variety of piling rigs to create large, deep excavations will be used throughout the area during the day.
Over the coming months, Balfour Beatty will install piles into the ground up to 30m deep. The first set of the 200 wall panels will also be inserted. Around 40,000 cubic metres of material will be removed to make way for the underpass.
Work is continuing nearby on the construction of the new 37-metre-long Porter Street footbridge, which will allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the dual carriageway and ease congestion on the A63.
The A63 Castle Street scheme is due to be complete by 2025.
