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M4 BRIDGES - JUNCTION 3 TO 12

PROJECT M4 bridges - Junction 3 to 12 CLIENT Highways MAIN CONTRACTOR Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture ENGINEER Arcadis / Jacobs Joint venture (AJJV) clevelandbridge.com Cleveland was chosen to fabricate and install 12 bridges in just nine months as part of Highways England's major M4 upgrade.

Requirement

The M4 is the main strategic route Cleveland Bridge also fabricated a Bridges in the scheme followed a between , the West of unique steel training bridge to be standardised design and installation England and , carrying on used on the M4 project site. The approach. The girders were delivered average 130,000 vehicles per day. 18-metre model footbridge is the first to site in paired sections and lifted Highways England is improving of its type and size in the UK, and onto temporary stillages, where the stretch between junction 3 at will allow apprentices, technicians the splice connections were bolted Hayes and junction 12 at Theale by or graduates to learn and apply together. The fully paired girders were upgrading it to a smart motorway. the skills involved in the tendering, moved on self-propelled modular This will provide much-needed extra planning and construction of a bridge. transporters (SPMTs) to the bridge capacity by creating an additional Cleveland Bridge manufactured site, from where they were craned lane for traffic, with enhanced the bridge as its contribution to a into place. technology to smooth traffic flows significant industry skills development and manage incidents. Much of programme devised by the partners One exception to this model is the the M4 was originally built as a involved in the M4 upgrade. bridge over the Thames at Bray. two-lane dual carriageway and has This bridge comprised of two back been upgraded several times over spans that were assembled in three the years. The upgrade to a smart Project scope paired sections per span. These were motorway means that 11 bridges then welded together on site before Cleveland Bridge were responsible needed to be replaced to make installation. The back spans were tied for fabricating and installing the room for the extra lane. In addition, down to the abutments with specially following bridges: the bridge that carries the M4 over tensioned cables to maintain stability. the River Thames at Bray needed Once the back spans had been to be widened to support the new Bridge Span (m) Weight (Te) installed and stabilised, the central smart motorway. Ascot Road 50 260 span over the river was delivered to site in one piece and lifted into place. Lane 46 233 Solution Monkey Island 82 397 The other exception is the Oldway Lane bridge, a foot/equestrian bridge, Cleveland Bridge was appointed by Thames Bray 105 265 where SPMTs cannot be used. Here, Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture Riding Court 45 267 Cleveland Bridge manufactured and to supply, fabricate and install all 12 assembled the entire structure off-site bridges along the upgraded stretch Huntercombe 44 362 in Darlington, and then delivered it in of motorway, along with various Spur two pieces for installation. temporary works required to enable Recreation 44 111 bridge installation. As well as working Ground to supplied bridge designs, Cleveland Bridge enhanced value engineering Wood Lane 90 320 by designing and fabricating the Road 106 650 temporary rocker bearings for the integral structures, as well as the Lake End 80 500 temporary bridge restraint systems Oldway Lane 50 65 for the installations. Old Slade Lane 50 150

Creating landmarks worldwide clevelandbridge.com Challenges

One of the greatest challenges of Access into many of the bridge sites The entire scheme was focused along this project was the compressed was restricted, with limited space for one of the UK’s busiest sections of programme. The first bridge at temporary bridge assembly works. motorway, close to the M25 and Monkey Island had to be completed Precise planning and careful project Heathrow Airport. This meant every by November 2019. The next six had management of all follow-on trades effort had to be made to minimise to be installed during an eight-week was essential to ensure smooth, disruptions and delays for road users. window between April and June 2020, safe operation in the limited space Wherever possible, deliveries to site followed by the final five bridges by available. Cleveland Bridge worked were made at night during either lane mid-August 2020. Cleveland Bridge closely with concrete formwork closures or, where necessary, full worked in close collaboration with all subcontractors to coordinate the road closures. project partners to meet these project parapet formwork installation once deadlines and fulfil the challenging the steel girders were assembled, There were challenges in the programme targets. as well as with Balfour Beatty VINCI fabrication of some bridge Joint Venture to organise site access components too. The deep haunch and assembly works alongside other girders required for Thames Bray site operations, such as piling and were up to six metres high, which groundworks. All parties held weekly meant manoeuvring them around the progress and coordination meetings production centre required extreme to ensure all aspects of work were care and precision. safely coordinated and controlled.

Creating landmarks worldwide clevelandbridge.com Outcomes

Monkey Island (Nov 2019) - Huntercombe Spur (May 2020) - Datchet Road (August 2020) - a multi-span bridge carrying Junction 7 - 362 tonnes and 44m A 675 tonne, 106m long 3 span Monkey Island Lane over the M4 integral single-span bridge leading bridge carrying Datchet Road near the village of Bray. The bridge onto the A4 towards Slough. over the M4 between Datchet and weighs 397 tonnes and measures the district of Upton, Slough. This 82 metres in length. Thames Bray (June 2020) - bridge included the heaviest and The only structure that is an longest single lifts on this project Riding Court Road (April 2020) - extension to the M4, it carries the with 2 of the paired girders at 267 tonnes and 45m integral motorway over the River Thames. 63m long and 170 tonne each. single-span bridge over the M4 It spans 105m and weighs 265 connecting the villages of Datchet tonnes. Lake End (August 2020) - and Langley, near Slough. A 500 tonne, 80m long 2 span Old Slade Lane (July 2020) - carrying Lake End Road over Marsh Lane (April 2020) - A 151 tonne, 50m long integral the M4 between and the a 233-tonne, 46m-long integral single span bridge over the M4 district of Lent Rise, Slough. single-span bridge near Slough, carrying Old Slade Lane to the connecting the villages of Dorney nearby Old Slade Lane To limit local disruption, the and Lent Rise. works. majority of bridges were built adjacent to the existing bridges Recreation Ground (May 2020) - Oldway Lane (July 2020) - before they were demolished. 111 tonnes and 44m integral A 65 tonne, 50m long single span single-span bridge over the M4 foot/equestrian bridge crossing All of the bridges were installed connecting the B376 Slough Road the M4 between , on or ahead of programme through Upton Court Park near Slough and Dorney Common. without any delays, enabling Slough. This was the only footbridge for the roads to be reopened Cleveland Bridge on this project. slightly early. Thanks to the strict Ascot Road (May 2020) - health and safety procedures a 260 tonne, 50m integral single- Wood Lane (July 2020) - implemented by all parties on all span bridge, to the east of junction A 320 tonne, 90m long two span sites, there were zero incidents or 8 and 9. bridge crossing the M4 carrying accidents. Wood Lane from Slough to the existing Wood Lane Sewage Works.

Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd. T. +44 (0) 1325 381188 Cleveland House, Yarm Road, F. +44 (0) 1325 382320 Darlington, Co. Durham DL1 4DE, UK E. [email protected] clevelandbridge.com