Bridgwater’s Colley Lane Southern Access Road project, also known as Squibbers Way, has been awarded Most Innovative Highway Authority Scheme of the Year at the 2020 Highways Magazine Awards.
The multi-award-winning project by Somerset County Council, in partnership with main contractor Whitemountain and AECOM, was also shortlisted for Highways Major Project Award at the award’s virtual ceremony.
The £18.4m project has now been recognised for six major awards since its opening in December 2019. *
Councillor John Woodman, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “The Squibbers Way project was extremely challenging to deliver, but yet another accolade highlights the wonderful innovation, as well as the achievement in delivering the project on time and on budget.
“We have a proven track record in delivering major schemes, but we are particularly proud of Colley Lane.
“So, we are thrilled to have won this prestigious award, alongside our partners Whitemountain and AECOM, but more importantly, it is providing huge benefits for the people of Bridgwater.”
John Hasson, Civil Engineering Director at Whitemountain said: “We are proud to be recognised along with Somerset County Council and AECOM as national winners for the Most Innovative Highway Authority Scheme 2020 category.
“In addition, we were immensely proud to be shortlisted and included with a nomination in the Major Project 2020 category. Congratulations to all the team involved on the delivery and construction of Squibbers Way.”
Mark Claridge, Regional Director at AECOM, said: “We are incredibly proud to have worked collaboratively with Whitemountain and Somerset County Council to deliver this strategically important project for the people of Bridgwater.
“From the outset the team worked tirelessly together to overcome significant engineering challenges and to deliver this project as a team. The hard work by everyone involved has clearly paid off.”
The virtual ceremony can be replayed on the Highway Awards website.
Multiple technical innovations were used in the £18.4m project, including:
- The Somerset Bridge – at 52m the longest single span bridge in Somerset – was specifically designed without piers to minimise erosion and flood risk in the River Parrett.
- The design uses 9,000m3 of polystyrene instead of traditional aggregate along 300m of embankment to minimise loading on the flood plain between the river and canal.
- On-site recycling of materials, including cellophane waste and the by-products generated by the 1,000 piles required for this scheme. This saved an estimated 2,000 lorry movements.
- Specialist machinery was used on site to segregate waste material which reduced the amount required to go to landfill by 97%.
- A bespoke embankment solution to avoid substantial works in connection with existing overhead power lines.
Other awards won by the Colley Lane Southern Access Road scheme
Winner of the CIHT Transport Innovation Award 2020.
Highly Commended in the CIHT Transportation Project of the Year category 2020.
Winner of the RICS Infrastructure Award 2020.
Winner of the Community Award and the Project Over £3m (New Build) Award at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards
