A45 Daventry Development Link Road Due for completion spring 2018 Northamptonshire Highways Newsletter 4 - March 2017 Simon Levell Rebecca Miller Site liaison manager Communication [email protected] manager [email protected] Welcome to the fourth edition of the Daventry Development Link Road Newsletter. The scheme The last three months, since the last Newsletter No. 3 in December 2016, has seen The A45 Daventry Development Link Road (formerly Weedon, Flore & Upper Heyford Bypass) will be steady progress on site. We had our planned two-week Christmas/New Year a new 3.5 mile (5.7 km) single carriageway. shutdown, the generally short daylight hours and often difficult weather conditions in terms of temperatures, rainfall and sometimes high winds means that certain activities – notably earthworks and concreting – can be constrained or not take place The road will start at a new roundabout on the existing A45 between the villages of Dodford and at all. Weedon. It will then pass to the north of the communities of Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford before re-joining the A45 at a new roundabout between Upper Heyford and the M1 motorway at That said, the contractors – Balfour Beatty – and their sub-contractors have been junction 16. progressing well. We had to adjust some of the programme and implemented imaginative and pro-active efforts to keep on programme and advance a number of The scheme features extensive earthworks (cuttings and embankments) and includes the work activities. construction of eight structures as follows: The main construction works (phase 2 contract) continues as planned, and in • A major combined bridge crossing of the West Coast Main Line Railway & Grand conjunction with Northamptonshire Highways issues are being communicated to Union Canal affected parties and the local community. Since it was agreed that the Daventry link • A bridge spanning the River Nene (Whilton Branch) Road would be constructed we have been liaising, and co-existing, with land • Bridges carrying Brockhall Road, Brington Road, a bridleway and a byway over the owners, the local population, local businesses, statutory agencies (such as new road Network Rail and Canal & River Trust) and the travelling public. Although our works are weather dependant we remain on schedule to complete Spring 2018. • A stream culvert (a structure that allows water to flow under the road) and farm access bridge We aim to minimise disruption for our neighbours during construction. Local access to residential properties on the north side of Flore is from the A45 High We will do this by: Street, whilst Brockhall and nearby farms are accessed from the A5 north of Weedon or the Daventry – Duston road via Whilton Locks from the north – suitable diversions are in place for local traffic and the local communities are being kept fully informed through • Carrying out as much of the construction work during the day time as we can various communication channels. This closure is necessary to enable the efficient and • Using clear diversion route signs when roads are closed timely completion of the bridge which will eventually carry the Brockhall Road over the • Ensuring that site vehicles only use approved routes link road. We did consider a temporary diversion to allow the road to remain open. How- • Closely monitoring the impact of site operations ever, this would actually have been impractical and a rather costly addition to the scheme • Using techniques and machines designed to minimise noise and vibration budget. • Keeping in regular contact with our neighbours so they are informed as works progress One challenge we have faced is the planned or unscheduled closure between junctions 16 & 18 on the M1. We liaise with Highways England all the time but, as we all know, For road users we will ensure their safety by: if anything happens on the M1 the A45 and A5 take the strain and become congested, often having a detrimental effect on our deliveries and construction too. • Operating a reduced speed limit through the road works; this makes it safer for The temporary diversion alignment for the A5 trunk road has now been operational for the workforce and drivers, and gives drivers more time to react to the road around 4 months. The switchover went well and the road is working for all roadusers. conditions ahead In recent weeks we had a short night closure to replace road markings to ensure safety. • Keeping road closures to a minimum and avoiding peak hours where possible The temporary road enabled a start to be made during the autumn on reconstructing the existing A5 road by placing layers of stone and fill in order to bring it up to its final level (new roundabout connection with the link road). Works on this will start again once the site becomes more dry and earthworks can resume. Construction Progress – what have we done so far and what are we doing next? Earthworks Temporary Works & Traffic Management Whilst most of the stripping of topsoil was complete by December (around 75%) some additional areas have now been stripped, bringing this total to around 85%. Bulk The stone haul roads that were established within the site perimeter along much of the earthworks have slowed down in recent weeks purely due to how wet it has been. length of the new road corridor (to ensure efficient movements of heavy construction plant and essential material deliveries as well as general site access) have required some Another area of earthworks progress has been the re-aligned route of Brockhall Road, in routine maintenance. Although winter has been reasonably kind to us rainfall and our readiness for diverting this local road over the new bridge once complete. Works are also ground conditions have still proved challenging and created no go areas at times. These continuing to take place associated with constructing the major railway and canal bridge muddy conditions means roads on the area suffer and we have ensured they are regularly over the West Coast Main Line and Grand Union Canal. The main construction work is cleaned and swept. We are committed to road user safety and mitigating the impact on due to start in the spring. local communities Drainage Traffic management remains an important consideration, ensuring construction-related Drainage works – placing manholes, pipe runs and gullies to drain surface water from vehicle movements do not take place on local roads as far as is practicable. Advance the new road – have progressed particularly well at the new western A45 (Cavalry Hill) warning signs and related traffic management signage – such as safety-related speed roundabout on the Dodford side of Weedon. Stone layers and kerbing have also been limits – continue to be in force on all public road approaches and interfaces with the main placed in readiness for tarmacking. The plan is to complete one side of the roundabout works, notably on the A45 (both ends of scheme), A5 trunk road, Brockhall and Brington and allow traffic to use it, whilst completing the other side of the roundabout. Roads. At the eastern end of the scheme, preparatory works have taken place to install drainage A notable change in the last quarter is the temporary closure of Brockhall Road, Flore, to across the fields. The new road also benefits from five balancing ponds. which will through traffic, which came into force in the second week of January and is expected to collect water to ensure that local watercourses are not overloaded during heavy rainfall. last for between 6 and 8 months. Although it has been wet on site we have been using pumps in order to keep earthworks and For more information about the scheme you can visit the website at bridge excavations as free of water as possible. www.northamptonshire.gov.uk Bridges and Structures As indicated above, the Brockhall Road north of Flore is currently closed to enable construction Please advise people that they can join this mailing list and receive regular of the new overbridge. A large excavation has been made and works are now proceeding on the progress updates by emailing [email protected] and registering new bridge. The abutment front and wingwalls on both sides of the bridge are starting to emerge their email address. They will be added to the mailing list and this from the ground. The design uses reinforced earth technology which ‘locks’ together bands of information will remain confidential and will not be shared with any third compacted fill material between reinforcing layers which are then anchored to interlocking concrete retaining walls. This system is cost-effective and efficient to construct, and is to be parties. used on all the side road structures along the route (the others being at Brington Road and Upper Heyford). We will also be using this method on the green bridge at Hillside Road, Flore. This If you have any questions relating to these activities please do not hesitate ecological structure will not only take pedestrians over the link road but also allow wild animals to contact Simon Levell at [email protected] who will be your to safely make the crossing. site-based contact on day-to-day issues specifically relating to the road The excavation for the Green Bridge is complete, with work starting on the abutments for that construction phase and its impacts. structure. Further west again is the site of Whilton Brook Bridge (over a key branch of the River Nene) Excavation and rock fill has already taken place in readiness for the abutments to be For all general highway issues that are not specific to the Daventry constructed for this key river crossing. Development Link Road works you should contact the Street Doctor Archaeology, Ecology & Environment service in Northamptonshire.