A64 junction reconfiguration 278 works, Seacroft, West Yorkshire

Our integrated civil engineering and surfacing teams delivered this complex road junction upgrade with minimal disruption to road users.

The project scope

Work included the construction of a new major road junction and reconfiguration of the A64, Leeds Road to facilitate access to a new housing development. This work was carried out on one of the busiest highways in West Yorkshire with over 35,000 vehicles per day using the route from Leeds to York. Our integrated ‘In house’ civils and surfacing teams worked together to deliver this important project, which comprised:

• Surveys and setting out
• Coordination and management of stats
• Traffic management
• Trials holes and services identification
• Construction of new access road
• Reconfiguration of existing bridleway
• Construction of new traffic islands
• Excavations for drainage and services
• Sub formation to base level
• New footpaths
• New pedestrian crossings
• New slip roads
• New dual level footway / cycleway
• Reconfiguration of street lighting
• Services diversions
• Surfacing of new access road
• Resurfacing of existing road
• White lining

Key quantities:

• Asphalt: 5,700 m²
• Drains & Ducts: 2,500 m
• Drainage: 500 m

Challenges & successes

A large amount of uncharted, buried underground services were encountered during the works – many of which had previously been installed at an incorrect shallow depth. This included a variety of medium pressure gas mains, water mains, electricity supplies, street lighting cables, telecoms and Virgin fibre optic cables. To overcome this challenge, we worked closely with our client to chart the services, engage with the services providers and assist them to lower or divert the services. This also required us to extensively re-sequence our works to maintain schedule.

As work started on site, we also encountered an extensive reinforced 300mm depth concrete raft beneath the road surface covering the entire construction site. This unplanned work required us to break through the raft to excavate every hole on the project – taking 3-4 times longer than anticipated. To maintain the original schedule, we opened additional concurrent workfaces and deployed additional labour and specialist demolition plant.

With over 35,000 vehicles per day using this route, we planned the work to minimise disruption to road users. Civil construction was conducted during the daytime under temporary lane closures between 09.00 and 15.30 each day and surfacing works was conducted at night under full road closure with diversions. This not only allowed us to complete the work faster but avoided full road closures during the day and avoided congestion at peak traffic times.