Engineering, design and consultancy company Ramboll has today announced their successful bid to lead the design team appointed to upgrade two junctions on the A55 North Wales Expressway.
The aim of the improvement project is to remove two traffic bottlenecks and provide free flowing junctions for this vital stretch of road. Between 1970 and 2000 the entire length of road was fully reconstructed to form a dual carriageway link between Chester and Holyhead, and it has since been designated as part of the E22 Trans European Network Route between Dublin and Moscow. The length of Euroroute within the UK (Hull to Holyhead) comprises grade-separated interchanges allowing the free flow of traffic, apart from the at-grade roundabouts at junctions 15 and 16.
Due to the encroachment of development and buildings on the inland side of the road, and the proximity of the railway on the coastal side, the space available for free flow links and slip roads is highly constrained. Ramboll’s tender work therefore concentrated on achieving the safest possible junction arrangements and road alignments within the limited land available.
The A55 North Wales Coast Road between Conwy and Bangor comprises one of the most dramatic highways in the country, with the road squeezed between rugged mountains and the Irish Sea, passing in tunnels through two major headlands, and running parallel to the London to Holyhead Railway.
The project, which is predicted to take five years to completion, will be spread over four principal stages as follows:
• Key Stage 3 (a) – Appraisal of different junctions options, including traffic modelling, public consultation and economic and environmental appraisal (WelTAG Stage 2) leading to selection of preferred option for each junction
• Key Stage 3 (b) – Engineering design and environmental appraisal of preferred options leading to publication of Draft Orders, Environmental Statement and Outline Business Case
• Key Stage 4 – Public Inquiries for each junction (if necessary) and completion of statutory process
• Key Stage 6 – Detailed design and construction
Rob Griffiths, Ramboll Project Manager commented: “We are delighted to be appointed to lead the design of this key project and continue building on our long established record of supporting the Welsh Government in major infrastructure upgrades in North Wales.
We are eager to contribute to a project that should make a significant impact to a key stretch of road for Wales”
For further information please contact:
Poppy Drummond: 0207 4157 154 / [email protected]
Caroline Voaden: 0207 4157 154 / [email protected]
