Balfour Beatty Vinci, the HS2, joint venture has began preparations for the first UK box slide for a rail bridge over a motorway. The Midlands scheme was originally planned as a traditional structure, that would have meant significant traffic disruption for the motorists, with around two years of slim lane widths, 50mph speed limits and nights and weekend night closures.

Now the team will construct the whole UK box slide structure on land next to the motorway in enthusiasm to jack the 10,000t box into place in one movement. The ‘Marston Box’ bridge slide near the Junction 9 of M42 in North Warwickshire will be achieved in just two one-week closures of the motorway on a 12-month construction time.

Read also: Work to start on £30m Glasgow’s Govan to Partick bridge project

The M42 will be shut for a week for the first stage of preparation work from Christmas to New Year 2022, with an aim to move the structure into place during a week’s closure during winter 2022. In order to perform this, a reinforced concrete slab will be built to act as a guide raft, with the box constructed at the top. The box will later be pushed by a jacking system run by structural engineering company Freyssinet, that can shift the box at speeds of more than 2m per hour. At that speed, the operation may take like four days.

The method also dramatically boost the safety and health of the workforce, who won’t have to work in close proximity to a live carriageway. David Speight, HS2 Client Project Director, stated: “At HS2 we’re always planning for innovative ways to lower our effects to local communities, and this UK first box slide offers a quicker and safer solution. “We’re working very close with the National Highways to make sure traffic management plans are set in place, with a well signed diversion route to lower any effects during the motorway closure.”

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

If you have a remark or more information on this post please share with us in the comments section below

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me by email when the comment gets approved.