Client
Skanska
Dates
2006 - 2008
Location
Pepperhill to Cobham - Kent
Value
£3.2m
The Project
Skanska were the winning contractor for the Highways England scheme to widen the A2 in both directions from 3 to 4 lanes between Pepperhill and Cobham.
This is one of the busiest roads into London used by over 100,000 commuters every day. The project has improved road safety, reduced congestion, boosted the regional economy and mitigated the potential impacts on sensitive species.
Our Involvement
We were commissioned by Skanska to carry out the construction of the bridge which was changed just before the award of the package from a steel beam bridge to a cast in-situ reinforced structure.
We knew that from the outset effective and well managed team work was the key and we worked closely with our Skanska having daily liaison meetings with them as part of our ensuring the project was completed on time and safely.
Challenges
Our biggest challenge was that the main structure had to be redesigned just before the award of the package. Originally intended to be a steel beam structure it was decided that such a structure would require additional support from a central pier situated on an existing road below.
In order to avoid this and the implications for construction programmes and traffic flow, it was decided shortly before the package award that it would be a reinforced cast in-situ concrete structure instead.
This impacted on our planned works which were originally to form a concrete top dressing over the steel beams. Nevertheless we were able to redesign our proposed temporary works, change pour sequences and re-adjust timings to maintain the contract programme.
Innovation
Often large scale civil engineering projects involve the use of specialist suppliers and labour due to the nature of what is involved. However, for this project we decided to look at the possibility of utilising local labour and local suppliers wherever possible.
We were successful in this approach and this benefited our delivery times and costs and improving our programme of works dramatically. It also, of course, meant the project contributed more to the local economy than just the spending power of the labour involved.
Key Achievements
• Through effective management of health and safety we achieved a total of 500K man hours accident and injury free.
• The project was completed 10 weeks ahead of schedule.
Case Studies
At SCL, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional construction projects that meet the unique needs of each client. These case studies showcase our expertise and demonstrate the high-quality results we consistently achieve.
