Bridge beams lifted into place as part of Halifax road improvements
Two cranes, one weighing over 1,000 tonnes, were used to lift girders into place as part of a new bridge near Halifax.
The bridge spans the Calder and Hebble Navigation around Salterhebble near Halifax.
Eight girders, 48 m long, 3 m wide and weighing more than 250 t in total, were positioned with the two cranes. They are part of a new bridge and link road between the A629, the Calderdale Way and the Stainland Road.
The bridge project is part of Phase 1b of the A629 Improvement Scheme funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. It is one of the largest individual civil engineering projects ever undertaken by Calderdale Council, completely redesigning the road layout around the Salterhebble area.
The project aims to improve road safety and travel times between Huddersfield and Halifax and will also include improved facilities for pedestrians, public transport users and cyclists. Improving the efficiency of the A629 aims to reduce the ‘rat race’ through neighboring communities such as Elland, West Vale, Siddal, Exley, Copley and Skircoat. All of this is part of the broader investment in and regeneration of Calderdale as part of the Council’s priority of developing thriving towns and cities.
The Council is working on the project in partnership with contractor John Sisk & Son and work is progressing well. Key elements of the project are nearing completion, including the remodeling of the Jubilee Road intersection and the new resident parking bay. The construction of new walls and brickwork along the A629 Huddersfield Road is also nearing completion and work is underway to prepare the land behind for landscaping.
The full phase 1b project is expected to be completed in late 2023 or early 2024. Some items open earlier, such as B. the new connecting bridge, which is to be opened for traffic in the summer of this year. Traffic restrictions will also be lifted as soon as possible this year.
Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, said: “The bridge lift marks an important milestone in the progress of Phase 1b of the A629 Improvement Project and I would like to congratulate those involved on the successful completion of the beam lift work. An engineering project of this magnitude requires an incredible amount of planning, not only to lift the extremely large and heavy beams, but also to manage the logistics of transporting them to the site.
“Now that the bridge structure is in place we can see how the project will transform the landscape around the Calder and Hebble junction. As we reach the final year of the project, we will continue to see major changes that will ultimately benefit all road users in the region and complement the broader work in the district, investments in our cities, and our priority of creating places to thrive. ”
Peter Carlill, Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: “This is a colossal engineering project and I am very impressed with the planning and work that has gone into this project.
“The program is so important to the people of Calderdale and beyond as it will help solve a bottleneck on the area’s roads, meaning the people who live there will be safer. We are pleased that the program also includes improved access for pedestrians and cyclists, helping to ensure that bus services are more reliable with reduced traffic.”
Sisk Managing Director Dominic Hodges said: “This is an important and exciting milestone for the project. Our team has worked very hard with Calderdale Council, our supply chain and numerous stakeholders to plan the logistics for this large scale operation. It’s fantastic that all the hard work is now paying off.
“Many of the people working on the project are local and proud to be involved in leaving such a legacy for the region.”
The A629 Phase 1b program has received over £28m in funding from the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1bn package of government investment through Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) provided by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate growth and create jobs across the Leeds City area.
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