Working around buildability challenges to deliver a concrete bridge

摘要

Like many semi-rural small towns within commuting distance of large cities, the Cheshire town of Congleton has seen its narrow streets overwhelmed by traffic over the past few years. The congestion issues have become a cause of frustration for residents and commuters alike, leading Cheshire East Council to propose a 5.5km link road to create a bypass that will free the town centre of through-traffic. The plan aims to reduce the number of vehicles on Congleton's roads and boost the local economy as a result, by making the town more accessible to visitors. The £90 million Congleton link road will join the A534 Sandbach Road (to the west of Congleton) with the A536 Macclesfield Road (to the north of the town). Construction and civil engineering contractor GRAHAM is responsible for delivering the five-phase project, which includes two bridges: one to enable the diverted traffic to cross the River Dane and another over a local B road, Giantswood Lane. The company worked with CCL, the specialist in engineered solutions for structures, on the bridge elements of the scheme, with CCL providing a variety of bridge bearings to meet the requirements of the bridge design and challenging topography.