2nd Forth Road Bridge

[Langur]

2nd Forth Road Bridge

This view shows the new cable-stayed Forth road bridge in the foreground, the existing Forth Road Bridge (suspension bridge) in the middle, and the famous Victorian cantilevered Forth Rail Bridge in the background:

image hosted on flickr


The existing road bridge on the left with the new one on the right (note the design variation compared to the image above):






MSPs support new Forth crossing
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8675534.stm

Plans to build a new Forth road bridge have been backed by a special committee of MSPs set up to scrutinise the plans.

They supported the Forth Crossing Bill, which parliament needs to pass before work on the £2bn project begins.

The Holyrood committee also rejected objections to the overall legislation, but said some specific concerns would be taken forward.

The new crossing would be built by 2016 if approved by parliament, with construction beginning next year.

The plans, described by the Scottish government as the biggest transport infrastructure project in a generation, were brought forward in the wake of concerns about the deteriorating condition of the existing 45-year-old road bridge.

The public has also been asked for its views on continuing to use the current bridge for public transport only, when the new crossing opens.

The Scottish government is planning to fund the cost of the bridge, which links Edinburgh and Fife, through its capital budget.

[Langur]

Excellent news...



Scottish government confirms support for Forth Replacement Crossing
http://www.nce.co.uk/news/transport/...608200.article

17 November, 2010 | Updated: 17 November, 2010 5:48 pm | By Richard Johnstone

The Scottish Government has confirmed its support for a new Forth bridge in its draft Budget which has been published today, despite a cut in the Government’s capital budget of almost a quarter.

Finance Secretary John Swinney has also announced that £2.5bn of capital infrastructure projects will go ahead through the Scottish Futures Trust.

Announcing that the Scottish Government’s capital budget would fall by 24% following the Comprehensive Spending Review, Swinney also announced that £100M will be transferred from this year’s budget to next year. This, he said, would enable the planned capital programme to go ahead, including the Forth Replacement Crossing – spending for which in the next financial year is budgeted to be £200M.

The projects that will be taken forward by the Scottish Futures Trust, using a non profit distributing model of the private finance initiative, will include the Borders Railway project, valued at £230-£290M. The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and the dualling of the A90 between Balmedie and Tippety will also go ahead, with a value of between £350-£450M, as will improvements to the motorway network including an upgrade of the M8 between Baillieston and Newhouse, an upgrade of the Raith Junction of the M74 and further improvements to M8, M73 and M74 motorways valued at around £320M. Funding for these projects will come from transferring some of the Government’s spending from the day to day revenue budget to capital.

However, Swinney told the Scottish Parliament that funding for the maintenance of the motorway and trunk road network “has been reduced”.

“This decision has been difficult and will have an impact and I make no claims to the contrary,” he said. The budget document shows a cut in network strengthening and improvement budget from £56.4M this year to £15M next year, while the budget for other road improvements is cut from £49.7M to £24.2M.

Swinney also outlined that the Scottish public sector will be asked to make 3% savings in the next year. He said: “To support the recovery, we are prioritising our efforts to increase employment, strengthen education and skills, and promote new business growth.

“In this Budget we have had to make difficult choices. Not because of actions taken in Scotland, but because of decisions taken by Westminster.

“We’re setting out one-year, specific budget proposals that will address the most significant reduction in public expenditure that Scotland has ever faced since devolution. Our pipeline of infrastructure projects will see continued investment into the medium term.”

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) welcomed the news that Scotland is to divert extra money into its capital budget to boost the construction industry.

“This extra funding will support the construction industry through an extremely difficult time and enable it to play a central role in delivering jobs and growth for Scotland,” said ACE chief executive Nelson Ogunshakin.

“ACE Scotland will continue to work with the Scottish Government to ensure appropriate priorities are given to construction projects as a platform for economic regeneration across Scotland,” he said.

[Langur]

It's an awesome bridge! The two main spans will be 650m each, the world’s longest multiple cable stayed spans.

The central tower will rise to 207m, and the outer towers to 200m.

The total length of the bridge will be ~2.7 km.

The total length of the suspended deck will be 1744m (though the cables fan out further, a length of 1950m), the 3rd longest suspended deck in the world after the Rio Antirrio Bridge in Greece, and the Millau Viaduct in France. However the Millau Viaduct's deck is supported from beneath by the pylons as well as hung from the cables, so arguably this is 2nd longest suspended cable stayed deck in the world after the Rio Antirrio.

The Forth will soon feature three huge and amazing bridges from three different centuries of three different bridge types (cantilever, suspension, and cable-stayed). Nowhere else in the world can offer that.

image hosted on flickr

[Langur]

New Forth bridge plans approved by MSPs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-fife-11994671


The new Forth road bridge is due for completion by 2016

Construction of the new Forth road bridge will get under way next year, under plans approved by MSPs.

The Scottish Parliament passed, by majority, new legislation needed to build the £2bn crossing, due for completion by 2016.

Ministers say the condition of the existing bridge, linking Edinburgh and Fife, is deteriorating.

The project has come under attack from environmental campaigners and there has been a row over how to fund it.

The Scottish Greens are now leading calls for public spending watchdog Audit Scotland to look into alternatives to the crossing before contracts are arranged.

Backers include WWF Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland.

The bridge, to be paid for by the Scottish government's capital budget, was brought forward in the wake of concerns about the condition of the existing crossing, now more than 40 years old.

The replacement link, to be given the green light under the Forth Crossing Bill, has been described by the Holyrood government as the biggest Scottish infrastructure project for a generation, and vital to the economy.

[Langur]

Contract awarded, and construction to begin this summer on the Forth Replacement Crossing, that will feature the world's longest multiple cable stayed spans:
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/...ntract-awarded


Forth Replacement Crossing Principal Contract awarded

Further to the Scottish Ministers observing the mandatory standstill period, the Principal Contract for the design, construction and completion of the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC), which comprises the main crossing and the road connection immediately north and south of the bridge, has now been formally awarded to Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) consortium.

FCBC was previously announced as the preferred bidder for the design and build contract on 21 March with a bid of £790 million.

The FCBC consortium comprises Hochtief Construction AG, Dragados SA, American Bridge International and Morrison Construction supported by a design team comprising Ramboll, Gifford, Grontmij and Leonhardt Andrae and Partner.

Construction on the FRC is expected to begin during the summer of 2011.

[612bv3]

What will happen to the suspension bridge? Are they going to dismantle it if it's in such a bad condition?

[Jim856796]

The lifespan for the first Forth Road Bridge, constructed in 1964, was originally planned at 120 years. I don't want to see a suspension bridge gotten rid of, but is there nothing to be done to improve the bridge's structural issues?

[kramer81]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

The lifespan for the first Forth Road Bridge, constructed in 1964, was originally planned at 120 years. I don't want to see a suspension bridge gotten rid of, but is there nothing to be done to improve the bridge's structural issues?

I heard an expert say on the radio that it could be repaired, but would be closed to traffic for a considerable period of time. I imagine it would be case of replacing the cables.

There was talk of keeping the old bridge open for public transport which seems a bit extravagant. Maybe a year or so after the new bridge is built they'll talk about fixing the old one. I guess they can't at the moment as it would give too much weight to the 'NO' campaign IMO.

[R.K.Teck]

They should just make the new bridge for Northbound traffic and have the old bridge for southbound traffic - 4 lanes north and 4 lanes south.

Too simple I guess.

[Langur]

Another major contract award for Forth Replacement Crossing scheme
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/...rossing-scheme

10 June 2011

Winning bid to deliver traffic flow system under budget

The multi-million pound contract for the Forth Replacement Crossing’s Intelligent Transport System (ITS) in Fife was awarded by Transport and Housing Minister Keith Brown today.

The contract to deliver the traffic flow management system along the M90 in Fife was secured by John Graham (Dromore) Ltd, at a cost of £12.9m – over £2m below the original estimated cost range.

The contract will deliver the Fife element of a 14 mile (22km) ITS corridor, extending from the M9 Junction 1 at Newbridge, to the M90 Junction 3 at Halbeath. The system will aim to regulate traffic flow through use of overhead signal gantries and provide motorists with up to the minute information through variable message signs.

Mr Brown said

“ITS is an integral part of the Forth Replacement Crossing scheme and I am pleased to announce this £12.9m contract award to John Graham.

“This important traffic management system will assist with traffic congestion, providing road users with traffic, lane and mandatory speed control information, improving road safety and helping improve Journey Time reliability across the Forth.

“It is also gratifying to note that the successful tender competition has resulted in a substantial saving on the anticipated cost of £15-£22m and provides excellent value for money for the public purse.

“This is the second of three major contracts to be awarded for the Forth Replacement Crossing scheme, which will not only safeguard our vital infrastructure link but is also essential for Scotland’s continued sustainable economic growth.”

The contract, which will comprise the provision and installation of seventeen gantries, including foundations and associated maintenance lay-bys as well as associated hard and soft landscaping, ducting, cabling and carriageway traffic detectors, will deliver significant benefits for cross-Forth travel by improving safety, journey time reliability and incident management. Using this technology also eliminates the need for further expensive widening of existing roads, thus ensuring best value for the public purse.

The ITS system will also support the operation of a Public Transport Bus link between Ferry Toll and Queensferry, reconfiguring the M90 southbound hard shoulder as an integrated bus lane.

The award of the Fife ITS contract follows the award of the Principal Contract to build the new bridge and connecting roads to the FCBC Consortium in April. The final major contract for the scheme, the upgrade of M9 Junction 1a, is on schedule to be awarded in July.

In addition the contract to provide plant material, including trees and vegetation, across the project was awarded recently to Johnsons of Whixley Limited with a bid of £230,000. The FRC project will see the planting over 375,000 new trees, replacing more than double the area of woodland that will be cleared for construction of the scheme, as well as providing nearly 7 km of new or replacement hedgerows.

There has also been substantial interest from the construction industry in the contract, estimated to be worth around £4 million, to build a new FRC Contact and Education Centre.

This new building, to be located adjacent to the Forth Road Bridge’s offices in South Queensferry, will act as a consultation, information and exhibition venue during the construction of the scheme, as well as housing a new, dedicated National Traffic Control Centre for Traffic Scotland.

A total 58 notes of interest were received and, following the assessment of 16 prequalification submissions, 5 companies have been formally invited to bid for the work, with tenders due to be returned by the end of July.

The total estimated cost of the FRC scheme is currently £1.47 - £1.62 billion and it remains on schedule to be completed in 2016.

[Firefighter]

In terms of money,,how much cheaper is it to build a new cable stayed bridge over a suspension bridge for a crossing such as this,,just generally speaking.

[Langur]

Forth Replacement Crossing caissons arrive on site

http://www.nce.co.uk/news/structures...630440.article



Arrival this week in the Forth Estuary of two up to 1,200t steel foundation caissons signalled the start of full scale construction of the 2.7km long Forth Replacement Crossing cable-stayed bridge. More...

[Langur]

'Landmark' for Forth Replacement Crossing project
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-fife-20197811


More than 1,000 jobs are being supported by the building of the new bridge

The project to build a new bridge over the Firth of Forth has reached a "landmark moment", according to Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The Forth Replacement Crossing is the biggest transport infrastructure project in Scotland for a generation.

Ms Sturgeon visited the project's Rosyth dockyard site on Monday.

She saw the huge sections which are being craned out on to Beamer Rock as part of work on the foundation for the bridge's central tower.

The first of the 10 sections is being lowered into position.

Engineers described it as the most critical stage of the building project, as any mistakes could have huge consequences.

'Landmark moment'

The lighthouse on Beamer Rock was removed last year so that the rock can be used as a foundation for one of the towers.


Huge sections that make up the foundation of the central tower are being lowered on to Beamer Rock

Construction of the bridge began in 2011 and is due to be completed in 2016.

Ms Sturgeon said: "It was a privilege to visit the biggest transport infrastructure project in Scotland for a generation at such an exciting landmark moment.

"We have around 1,200 people working on the project site, which doesn't include the significant number of people working for the 300-plus Scottish firms currently working in the subcontracting and supply chain for the project.

"This is clear evidence that the project is creating jobs for Scotland and benefiting the local and national economy."


UK steelwork firm wins Forth Replacement Crossing contract
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/sco...ntract-1.62229



A UK steelwork fabricator’s contract to build part of the £790 million Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) will bring construction work to Scotland, it was claimed last night.

Cleveland Bridge has been awarded the order for supporting steel on the approach viaducts to the new bridge.

The work will be split between the company’s headquarters in Darlington and bases in Rosyth and North and South Queensferry.

General manager Andy Hall said Cleveland Bridge had beaten international competition.

A Scottish Government spokesman said the final assembly stages of the steel components would be carried out locally.

He said: “On the FRC, over 300 Scottish firms have already benefitted from subcontracts and 865 of supply orders on the project have gone to Scots firms.

“Across the project there are around 1,200 people directly employed, and with three-quarters of the project still to go there are still many opportunities for Scottish businesses to benefit.

“Our record investment in transport infrastructure continues to directly benefit Scottish jobs and businesses.

“Transport Scotland contracts alone account for more than a quarter of civil engineering construction activity in Scotland.”

Motherwell’s Tata Steel will provide some of the materials to produce the girders, a move welcomed by politicians and trade unions.

Michael Leahy, general secretary of steel union Community, said it is important that Scottish industry, supported by supply chains across the UK, is helped to maximise opportunities.

He said: “This is a welcome development for all those Scottish and UK steelworkers who were snubbed by the original procurement process.

“We are hopeful that this will now mean that some Scottish steel could be part of such a prestigious project, as I understand Tata Steel have a track record of supplying steel to Cleveland Bridge that dates back years.”

Cleveland Bridge has been awarded the order for supporting steel on the approach viaducts to the new bridge.

The work will be split between the company’s headquarters in Darlington and bases in Rosyth and North and South Queensferry.

General manager Andy Hall said Cleveland Bridge had beaten international competition.

A Scottish Government spokesman said the final assembly stages of the steel components would be carried out locally.

He said: “On the FRC, over 300 Scottish firms have already benefitted from subcontracts and 865 of supply orders on the project have gone to Scots firms.

“Across the project there are around 1,200 people directly employed, and with three-quarters of the project still to go there are still many opportunities for Scottish businesses to benefit.

“Our record investment in transport infrastructure continues to directly benefit Scottish jobs and businesses.

“Transport Scotland contracts alone account for more than a quarter of civil engineering construction activity in Scotland.”

Motherwell’s Tata Steel will provide some of the materials to produce the girders, a move welcomed by politicians and trade unions.

Michael Leahy, general secretary of steel union Community, said it is important that Scottish industry, supported by supply chains across the UK, is helped to maximise opportunities.

He said: “This is a welcome development for all those Scottish and UK steelworkers who were snubbed by the original procurement process.

“We are hopeful that this will now mean that some Scottish steel could be part of such a prestigious project, as I understand Tata Steel have a track record of supplying steel to Cleveland Bridge that dates back years.”

[Celt67]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-fife-21522376

Forth Road Bridge: Cable corrosion problems 'resolved'

Corrosion problems on the Forth Road Bridge appear to have been resolved, engineers have found.

A system to stop wires cracking in the suspension cables has greatly reduced concerns about their future safety.

This is the first inspection report since a dehumidification system was installed on the bridge cables four years ago.

But Transport Scotland said the improvement did not mean a new Forth crossing was no longer needed.

The latest inspection report on the repair work from chief engineer and bridgemaster Barry Colford concluded: "The results of the inspection appears to demonstrate that the rate of deterioration of cable strength has been reduced and the factor of safety against failure of the cables has not materially diminished.

"This is giving strong comfort that the newly installed dehumidification system is retarding the corrosion of the bridge wires."
New Forth crossing

A spokesman for the Forth Road Bridge said this had given them optimism that the lifespan of the cables had been greatly extended.

They now believe the cables will remain safe for as long as the dehumidification process keeps working.

Concerns over the suspension cables were a factor in the decision to build a new £1bn Forth crossing, which is due to open in 2016.

Green MSP for Lothian Alison Johnstone suggested: "This report removes the central justification that the SNP made for blowing over a billion pounds on a new bridge.

"The Scottish Greens were the only party arguing strongly that repairing the existing bridge, even if the cables had to be replaced, would have cost a tiny fraction of the price and with no closure of the bridge.

"Those who wanted to see if the repairs worked before blowing billions on a new bridge were the responsible ones, while other parties charged recklessly ahead.
Still essential

"The Scottish government must keep their promise to restrict use of the existing bridge to buses, bikes and pedestrians, otherwise they will simply have created an eight-lane motorway over the Forth, encouraging ever more traffic and congestion coming into Edinburgh."

However, government agency Transport Scotland said the replacement for the Forth Road Bridge was still essential.

A spokesman added: "Cables will need to be continually monitored and inspected for the remainder of their service life and damage already done to the wires inside the cables cannot be repaired.

"The most disruptive maintenance project in the bridge's history has already been put on hold and, without an alternative crossing, this would have caused unprecedented disruption to traffic and the economy over an extended period."

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Keith Brown has said he was "puzzled" by claims that Edinburgh taxpayers could be hit with a multi-million pound compensation bill for roadworks leading to the new Forth road bridge.

Transport Scotland said the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (Feta), fully funded by the Scottish government, was liable for any compensation claims received.

[Urbananite]

http://architectuul.com/architecture...railway-bridge

[Spearman]

"The evolution of bridges."

Originally Posted by Langur

image hosted on flickr