Work is progressing on the Upper Forth Crossing with five marine
monopile casings installed and concreted. The bridge deck is to be
constructed on the north shore, within the former Kincardine Power
Station site, and pushed out over the Forth using an incremental
launching technique. The first launch is scheduled to take place before
Christmas 2006.
The construction of a temporary jetty on the
southern shore of the Firth of Forth is almost complete. The temporary
jetty will allow the southern part of section crossing to be
constructed without damaging the environmentally sensitive land in the
area.
The scheme also includes five other structures, two of
which are currently under construction. These include a bridge over
the new Kincardine – Alloa Railway spur at Kilbagie and a farm access
underpass for Broadcarse Farm. These structures are progressing on
schedule and foundation work is being carried out.
Phase 1 of
the construction of the northern roundabout of the proposed
grade-separated junction at Bowtrees is now complete. This work was
carried out in order to change the shape of the existing Bowtrees
roundabout from an oval to a circle, in accordance with the final
junction design.
A significant amount of the pre-earthworks
drainage has now been completed, and it is likely that ground works
activity will increase with the next extended period of dry weather.
Old
coal mineworkings have been located beneath some parts of the proposed
road. Due to poor and incomplete records, investigative drilling has
been required to determine the extent of these workings, as they
must be filled with grout to prevent subsidence. This drilling has
been ongoing since mid-September, with the majority of the key areas
now completed. Some drilling and grouting activities are still ongoing
on both the northern and southern sides of the estuary.
