New bridge in place over A30 after weekend lifting operation
It was part of National Highways' Chiverton to Carland Cross scheme
Last updated 20th Feb 2023
A new bridge has been installed over the A30 as part of National Highways’ Chiverton to Carland Cross road dualling scheme in Cornwall.
The Tolgroggan access bridge has spanned the A30 near Zelah for 32 years and needed to be replaced to accommodate the new dual carriageway and the existing road between the Chiverton and Carland roundabouts.
To enable the bridge lift operation, overseen by principal contractors Costain and structures specialists Keltbray, the A30 was closed between the Boxheater junction and Chiverton Cross roundabout, with drivers using diversion routes along the A3075 and B3285.
Despite mist and mizzle, weather conditions and wind speeds remained suitable for the lifting operation and the new 137ft (42-metre) twin-beam overbridge was lifted into place by a 650-tonne crawler crane on Saturday afternoon (18 February).
After Engineers undertook tying-in work on the bridge, dismantling and transporting of the crane and extensive site and traffic management clearance, the A30 was reopened to motorists at 2.00pm on Sunday (19 February) – some 16 hours ahead of the anticipated opening on Monday morning (20 February).
The new bridge weighs 275 tonnes, the equivalent weight of 23 double decker buses or 887,097 standard Cornish pasties and will eventually span the existing A30 road and four lanes of the new carriageway.
Now in position, work will concentrate on construction of the new road, with the existing bridge to be demolished later this year.
Neil Winter, National Highways Senior Project Manager for the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross upgrade, said:
"We thank people for their patience and co-operation while we carried out the work. The operation went as planned and although the weather wasn’t the greatest, conditions were favourable and the preparation work paid dividends.
"It’s a key milestone for the project, and now that we have the new bridge in place we will be able to switch our attention to the other structures along the route.
"As part of the scheme, we’re building 13 new structures in all, both under and over the new A30, with one existing underbridge at Two Burrows, a short distance from Tolgroggan, being refurbished."
As part of the near nine-mile upgrade, the new route will feature:
- A new grade-separated junction at Carland Cross, with an underbridge linking the existing roundabout and a new roundabout to create the new junction
- A new grade-separated junction at Chiverton, formed by two new underbridges under the new A30, creating a new junction linking with the old A30, A390, A3075 and B3277 roads
- A new grade-separated junction at Chybucca formed with an overbridge
The multi-million pound upgrade is scheduled to be open to traffic this winter.
The cost of developing the scheme is being partly funded by an £8 million contribution from the European Regional Development Fund, with an additional £12 million for the construction phase.
The remainder of the cost of developing and delivering the scheme is being funded by central Government.