A4/A46 BATHEASTON/SWAINSWICK BYPASS

This paper describes the design and construction of the 4.3km-long Batheaston/Swainswick Bypass, near the city of Bath; it includes three route maps. Previously, tourists driving to Bath from London and South East England could only approach the city via narrow, congested roads. After more than 50 years of planning, a consultation process in 1985, a hard-fought public inquiry in 1990, and a #5M battle with road protesters, the bypass was finally opened to traffic in May 1996, four months early. It combines bypasses of Batheaston on the A4 and Swainswick on the A46, but a proposed, more direct component, the A36, was lost at the public inquiry. The design objectives were to produce a scheme with minimal effects on the natural and built environments. The scheme was not only environmentally sensitive, but also had to cross the River Avon twice, and pass through two major landslips. Its visual intrusion was minimised by putting 1.7km of the route in a diaphragm-walled cutting, whose cost was reduced considerably by using value engineering and Peck's observational method. 130 weeks was allowed for the road construction, which began in 1994. The most important engineering works were the construction of a viaduct over the River Avon, and the construction of the diaphragm walls and the excavation between them.

• Corporate Authors:

  Thomas Telford Limited

  London,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • GOSNEY, RFC
  • GELLATLY, G
  • KERR, A
  • PETCH, K A
• Conference:
  • PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS: CIVIL ENGINEERING
• Publication Date: 1997-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 101-10
• Serial:
  • Volume: 120
  • Issue Number: 3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Beltways; Bridges; Bypasses; Design; Environmental protection; Public participation; Road construction; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Visual intrusions
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 3455: Bridge; 2709: Bypass (loop road); 9011: Design (overall design); 2444: Environment protection; 142: Public participation; 3665: Road construction; 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area; 2481: Visual intrusion
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Environment; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00743037
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Nov 26 1997 12:00AM