Cost-row Cambridge road closed as cracks appear.
https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2024/10/21/cost-row-cambridge-road-closed-as-cracks-appear/
Parts of a new £32m bypass and bridge in Cambridge have been closed after cracks appeared.
Engineers are now monitoring the King’s Dyke Crossing at Whittlesey which is being affected by movement in the main embankment which supports the crossing.
The bridge opened in 2022 and was originally due to be built by Kier but the firm walked away from the job in 2019 after failing to agree a price for the project after raising concerns about ground conditions.
At the time a Kier spokesperson said: “Following the completion of the design phase, our pricing took the challenging ground conditions into careful consideration.”
The contract was picked-up by Jones Bros Civil Engineering who are now monitoring movement in the embankment to establish the extent of any remedial work needed.
A briefing note from Cambridgeshire County Council earlier this month said: “A temporary lane closure at King’s Dyke was implemented on 13 June 2024 as a precaution, after some cracks appeared on the edge of the road.
“This closure is in place while our contractor, Jones Bros, carry out some tests and further monitoring to identify the cause of the cracking.
“Jones Bros designers are considering the results of the testing and monitoring to help inform the design of remedial works.
“We are unable to confirm the date for remedial works to be undertaken because of the complexities in design, which need to be carefully considered in determining the solution.
“We continue to work closely with the contractor to understand why the cracks have appeared, which is essential to inform the design.”
