Swift completion of works to the central reservation along a key section of the M53 have paved the way for an upgraded safety barrier installation
Project Summary
National Highways is undertaking a £7m project to replace large sections of ageing steel safety barriers on the M53 motorway in Cheshire between junctions 9 and 11.
Following completion of the installation of new barriers alongside the northbound and southbound carriageways, works moved into the central reservation. Highways civil engineering specialist Kilkern was brought in by contractor Winvic to carry out a programme of works to a section of the carriageway immediately south of Ellesmere Port and the M53/M56 Stoak interchange at Jct 11.
Works would include the Croughton Road underbridge – just north of the point where the M53 crosses the Shropshire & Union Canal.
M53 crossing the Shropshire & Union Canal at the southern extreme of the works
Along a 400 hundred metre length of the carriageway, the Kilkern team planed out the road surface in front of the central reservation’s kerb line, removed the existing kerbing and drainage kerbs, broke out and removed the exiting central reservation hard standing; and conducted a deck scrape and removed the existing waterproofing.
Once completed, third-party contractors were brought in to conduct waterproofing and fine milling to the concrete surfaces.
The Kilkern team subsequently installed new kerblines and drainage kerbs and drilled for and fixed reinforcement steels. Pull tests were carried out to confirm anchor force. Concrete was poured and brush finished and the road surface was reinstated in tarmac to the new kerblines.
Posts for the vehicle Restraint System (VRS) were installed to Series 400 Road Restraint System specification.
Challenges
Traffic management in place showing the lane restrictions and the central working area protected by Asset VRS‘s Zoneguard low deflection steel highway barrier
The M53 experiences a heavy flow of traffic 24 hours per day.
Traffic management was a major challenge – to strike a balance between insuring safety at all times and minimising the impact of works on traffic.
Traffic management included narrowed lanes with the working area protected by temporary steel barriers and a 50mph speed limit imposed.
Delivery
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- The central reservation ahead of work starting. The temporary barriers can be clearly seen to the left and right of the image
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- Breaking out and removing the concrete from the central reservation
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- Power Plane brought into carry out the deck scrape and fine milling (1)
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- Power Plane brought into carry out the deck scrape and fine milling (2))
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- New kerblines and drainage kerbs installed. Reinforcing fixed (1)
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- New kerblines and drainage kerbs installed. Reinforcing fixed (2)
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- Concrete poured and brush finished. Some barrier posts installed
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- Tarmac reinstated to the front of the kerbs (1)
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- Tarmac reinstated to the front of the kerbs (2)
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- Fixing VRS
Result
Kilkern completed the scheme on time and on budget and is an excellent example of how the firm is able to mobilise quickly and brings its highways civil engineering expertise to bear on a specific challenge.
The work has been described as a very neat job and a credit to the team.
Operations Manager Craig Winter believes the project has been an excellent example of Kilkern’s team drawing on its extensive highways civil engineering expertise and experience.
“Although a relatively small element of the overall programme, this was none-the-less an important project and we were pleased to be collaborating with Winvic to deliver a first-class result to time and budget,” he said.
“Working on busy roads like the M53 will always s bring operational challenges and it is a testament to the team that they have delivered an excellent outcome.”
