Bluetech was contracted by AECOM (Project Management) on behalf of Ballymore/London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) as Canal & River Trust Liaison for the development know as Bridgewater Triangle Bridge.
The project includes the installation of a temporary bridge to carry live utilities: gas, water, electricity and district heating. This essential lifeline ensured services remained uninterrupted during the works.
The prefabricated utility bridge, installed ahead of schedule, bridged the gap while giving Kilnbridge the freedom to focus on the main programme. Its dimensions and load capacity were designed specifically for the utility networks, demonstrating the project’s complexity even in its temporary phases.
Upon completion, the existing E48 bridge was demolished, whilst keeping the waterway open to traffic.
New abutments were then constructed on both sides of the river on which to seat the new bridge.
With the old bridge cleared, attention turned to the new structure: a striking design by William Matthews Associates, working closely with the LLDC and developers Ballymore.
With the site hemmed in by narrow roads and no space for large cranes, conventional lifting approaches were impossible. The solution was to assemble the bridge on a pontoon, float it into position and jack it down onto its abutments.
This complex manoeuvre drew on Kilnbridge’s (Main Contractor) previous marine experience and required bespoke lifting beams, reinforced modules and carefully designed formwork. The precision of prefabrication meant there was no trial assembly, tolerances had to be right first time.
Ben White, Kilnbridge’s head of engineering, feels the Triangle Bridge is a flagship project not only for its engineering but also because of how it showcases the company’s integrated model, including demolition, marine works, reinforced concrete, steel fabrication, waste management, lifting and temporary works design.
“This is a landmark project for Kilnbridge,” he says. “It’s really complex and showcases everything we can do all in one place.”
The Triangle Bridge is also a landmark for Stratford, its sleek architectural form now part of the area’s ongoing regeneration, helping to connect communities more effectively.
Bluetech Waterfront Solutions’ role was to liaise between the Canal & River Trust and AECOM (Project Manager) on behalf of the Ballymore/LLDC to ensure the Contractor satisfied the Trust’s Code of Practice for Works affecting the Trust, and to secure the Trust’s consent to the works in line with the projects complex design & construction programme.
