INTRODUCTION Falkirk context The team Falkirk Council’s £67 million Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) scheme is expected The TIF scheme is a significant new initiative brought forward by Falkirk Council, to bring in £413 million in private investment into the area, creating almost in partnership with the Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust and aims 6,000 jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships. Under TIF, Council’s can fund to boost the area’s economy. infrastructure improvements by borrowing against future business rates that are generated from new development. The 25 year plan covers 28 development sites Business rates, normally allocated to Scottish Government, are ring fenced to across Falkirk and Grangemouth. Under the plan, links from the M9 motorway to fund the TIF programme, so none of the £67 million investment comes from the the development sites will be improved and 400,000 sqms of commercial and Council’s budget. industrial space created. Falkirk Council is investing in improving infrastructure provisions for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists around the district. This is in line with 5 their strategy to encourage more people to travel by bike or on foot for everyday journeys as well as improving accessibility to the town centre and green networks. 18 21 17 19 8 14 20 15 7 32 31 WSP is a large multi-disciplinary engineering 1 consultancy, and lead designer for this exciting 16 25 project. Our Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast offices 9 12 specialises in infrastructure schemes. We shall be 3 2 30 completing the structural designs for the highways, 10 22 structures and bridge, earthworks, pedestrian routes 1 3 and traffic signals. 4 5 6 13 2 4 11 D ethos design + architecture 23 EDA bring together over 20 years of experience in the design of buildings, masterplans and regeneration projects. We have specialist experience in hospitality, residential led development, mixed use masterplanning and development consultancy. 6 24 TIF Development Sites TIF Infrastructure Sites 1. Falkirk Wheel 8. Abbotsford Business Park 15. Earls Road 22. Wholeflats 1. M9 Junction 6, Earlsgate Signalisation – Nov 2013 (completed May 2014) 2. Tamfourhill 9. Falkirk Gateway 16. Wood Street 23. Gilston 2. Improvements to Westfield Roundabout and A904 –April 2021 3. Rosebank 10. Caledon Business Park 17. South Bridge Street 24. Whitecross 3. Icehouse Brae Upgrade – Oct 2020 4. Falkirk Town Centre 11. Callendar Business Park 18. Grangemouth Docks (Z3) 25. Kinneil Kerse 4. M9 Junction 5, Cadgers Brae Signalisation – Jan 2020 5. Williamson Street 12. Stadium Site 19. Grangemouth Docks (Z2) 30. Tillyflats 5. Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme – tbc 6. Callendar Road 13. Helix 20. Grangemouth Town Centre 31. INEOS Sites 6. A801 Avon Gorge Upgrade – tbc 7. Mungalend 14. Glensburgh 21. Grangemouth Docks (Z4) 32. Westmains A9 A904 Improvement Project D ethos design + architecture GREEN CORRIDORS AND ACTIVE TRAVEL ROUTES Active travel Parks and open spaces are vital to the quality of the urban environment and the physical and mental health of its residents. They can also provide valuable wildlife habitat. They help to define a sense of place within settlements, contribute to their landscape structure and provide areas for recreation and physical exercise. Where linked into networks, parks and open spaces can be extremely valuable for active travel and can form corridors (green corridors) through which wildlife can migrate through the urban area. Green corridors, parks and open space are important places to be protected, cherished and enhanced. They take great effort to maintain, but give back so much to communities. Falkirk district is lucky to have some wonderful open spaces, from areas including the John Muir Way to magnificent parks like The Helix, dominated by the world-famous Kelpies. This project focuses on enhancing walking and cycling routes between Falkirk and Grangemouth, and improves links to Forth Valley College, The Helix and Falkirk Stadium and new developments. Legend Path Proposed route A9 A904 Improvement Project D ethos design + architecture PEDESTRIAN AND TRAFFIC FLOWS With the neighbouring development sites and predicted future traffic, vehicular movements are expected to increase in the area by 25-30%. This necessitated a review of the current layout of Westfield Roundabout and Etna crossing facilities to manage future use. Roundabout Some of the options considered are shown below and include improved M9 – Vehicles per hour facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. 3,800 (2019) West Mains With circa 36,000 monthly non-motorised user (NMU) visitors to Helix Roundabout Park, the bridge shall provide an important part of the works where safety Helix and connectivity are paramount. Park A9 – Vehicles per hour A904 – Vehicles per hour Access to the new College Campus, Falkirk Stadium, Helix Park and future 1,648 (2019) – spare capacity 2,240 (2019) – close to capacity development sites shall be by the bridge allowing for future growth and 1,912 (2022) (+16%) – spare capacity 2,350 (2022) (+5%) – at capacity providing a central hub for the green and active travel routes within 2,152 (2037) (+30%) – close to capacity 2,800 (2037) (+25%) – over capacity Falkirk and Grangemouth. Future Development Site Westfield Introduction of traffic signals and dedicated turning facilities and removal Roundabout A904 Pedestrians of uncontrolled crossings at the roundabout will provide improved traffic 150 per hour (2019 peak flow) flow and reduce queue lengths. A9 Pedestrians Falkirk Stadium 350 per hour (2019 match day peak flow) Future Development Site Existing crossing Existing underpass E E E E E E E E E E E E Existing path to be removed E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E CURRENT LAYOUT: OPTIONSE CONSIDERED: PREFERRED OPTION: E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Uncontrolled crossings TrafficE signals with at-grade Traffic signals with bridge E E E E E E E E E E E There are no crossing facilities at the E Traffic signals introduced at E crossingsE E E E E E E E E E existing roundabout presently, with, E an enlarged roundabout, with E TrafficE signals introduced at an E E E E E E E E E E instead, the nearby pedestrian crossing E pedestrian and cyclist crossings via enlargedE roundabout, allowing E E E E E E E E E E and the underpass on the A904 north E E the new bridge. pedestrianE and cyclist crossings over E E E E E E E E E E of the Stadium available to support E E the roundaboutE entries and exits. E E E E E E E E E the crossings to Helix Park. Pedestrian E E E Advantages E E E E E E E E E movements from Falkirk to the E E E • Greater capacity for vehicles and E AdvantagesE E E E E E E E Stadium site have no crossings, with E E E pedestrians E • ProvidesE safer crossing facilities for E E E E E E E several ‘near-miss’ events witnessed E E E • Road safety greatly improved E pedestriansE and cyclists vs existing E E E E E E E E E as pedestrians try cross. This presents E E layoutE by segregating vehicles and E E E E E E E E E safety and operational concerns during E E E pedestrians/cyclists E • ReducedE construction time and E E E E E E E match days. E E E • Pedestrian safety improved with E costE compared to bridge option E E E E E E E E E E E bridge E E E E E E E E E E E E Advantages E • Quality walking routes for, E E DisadvantagesE E E E E E E E E E • Minimal delays outside peak hours E improving access to Helix Park, E E E • Driver delayE caused by frequent E E E E E E E E E E E • Minimal capital cost to leave ‘as-is’ E Stadium and the surrounding area E E E E callingE of pedestrian stage E • Road safety with vehicles and • More attractive routes to the new Disadvantages pedestrians on same roadspace development sites, likely to be • Uncontrolled crossings at busy • The pedestrian crossing stage built-out over the next five years junction uses up 10-25% of the vehicular • Very little capacity for growth or capacity, significantly reducing Disadvantages further economic development in the overall benefits of the • Greater cost compared to at-grade the area due to current peak time improvements works crossing option congestion • Longer construction period A9 A904 Improvement Project D OPTION 4 - 2 lane circulatory, staggered crossings through splitter islands ethos design + architecture (Note: layout can be applied to 3 lane circulatory) THE DESIGN ITERATION – BRIDGE CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT A bridge structure has been identified as the most appropriate means of connecting the four corners of the Westfield Roundabout for pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised users. A number of possible layouts for connecting the four sites were explored, both around and across the junction, with connectivity for users and material requirements used as a marker of suitability. Selecting the layout Initial arrangements used four straight bridges to connect the four corners of the roundabout. These separate structure arrangements were not considered to be user-friendly, with the risk that at-grade crossing of the junction would continue. The initial layouts were developed to join the four separate structures, making the crossing more user-friendly. Arrangements across the roundabout were found to use considerably less material for an equivalent connectivity. Curved decks were introduced to the layout. Towers at each end of a linear main span allowed cables to be used also to support the approach spans.