A30 Cornwall upgrade to create country’s seventh green bridge
It will provide a safe passage across the road for badgers, voles and other small animals, insects and birds
A bridge to maintain and enhance connectivity for wildlife will be built as part of the A30 Cornwall upgrade.
Once completed, National Highways’ A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross upgrade will feature the company’s seventh green bridge.
The new bridge is being constructed overthe Marazanvose section of the new A30 dual carriageway in Cornwall.
Neil Winter, National Highways Senior Project Manager for the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross scheme, said: “We are really proud of the environmental work being carried out as part of this project, and the creation of the green bridge is a leading part of that.
"The company’s first green bridge was built over the A556 in Cheshire, our green bridge will be one of only seven across the country and once completed, will provide a safe crossing for various species of wildlife.
"We are currently aligning the new carriageway and the bridge will then be installed over the road and once planting has taken place, we look forward to seeing the bridge bloom for many years to come and provide a real legacy for the scheme."
Formed with two decks and planted extensively with plants and hedging, the green bridge will maintain and enhance connectivity for habitats separated by the new road, providing a flourishing green border and providing a safe passage across the road for badgers, voles and other small animals, insects and birds.
Pioneered in the Netherlands, the Terlet overpass was the first wildlife crossing constructed near Arnhem in 1990.Planted with trees, within six years three species of deer were recorded using it, along with wild boar, red foxes, badgers, wood mice, and common shrew and common vole species.
It will also include a footpath and a bridleway for horse riders.
The south section of the bridge has already been constructed, and the weekend work will see the new A30 realigned for traffic to travel underneath allowing for construction of the north section over the existing road.
To enable the road alignment around the green bridge location, the A30 will be closed over the weekend of 15-18 September between Scorrier and Boxheater.
Preparation works are being conducted under overnight closures for four nights the same week, the 11-15 September 8pm to 6am nightly, the diversion route is identical.
Work will also see the old Tolgroggan accommodation bridge dismantled, following installation of the new bridge earlier this year, while work will be completed at Chybucca to reopen the B3284 and allow traffic to travel over the A30.
During the closure, from 8pm on Friday,15 September to 6am on Monday, 18 September, traffic will be divertedfrom Boxheater on the A30 via B3285 and the A3075 to rejoin the A30 atScorrier with the eastbound diversion route in reverse.
Due to a low bridge (15’3”) at Scorrier, HGVs will be diverted via the A393 and A39 to rejoin the A30 at Carland.
Mr Winter added: “We appreciate the closure will have an effect on people’s journeys, and we advise people to plan ahead and allow a little extra time for their journeys over the weekend.
"We’ve been communicating the closure in advance to local communities and businesses, more information is available on our website, and we thank drivers in advance for their patience while the work takes place."
The new carriageway is scheduled to be opened in winter 2023/2024.