Leading construction and infrastructure player Aggregate Industries, working in collaboration with the A14 Integrated Delivery Team, has laid its millionth tonne of material on Highways England’s A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme.
The achievement coincides with the project’s designated, on-site asphalt plant producing its 350,000th tonne for use on the improvement scheme. In addition to this, 150,000 tonnes of asphalt has been provided from Aggregate Industries’ plants at Bardon Hill, Peterborough and Purfleet, and in excess of 500,000 tonnes of Cement Bound Granular Mixtures (CBGM) has been manufactured and placed.
The types of asphalt Aggregate Industries utilised on the project include its 10mm SuperThin asphalt which reduces the noise level by 7.8db(A) when compared with traditional hot rolled asphalt (HRA). This satisfies stringent noise restrictions where the scheme passes through built-up areas.
The works have not been without their challenges. In particular, the summer has seen the completion of some very complicated traffic switches, with the 17th and 18th of August alone demanding 5,600 tonnes of asphalt be continually mixed, transported and placed to transform the Bar Hill Junction.
Paddy Murphy, Managing Director of Contracting at Aggregate Industries, said: “It is a great achievement to have laid our millionth tonne of material on Highways England’s A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement scheme, currently the UK’s largest and most prestigious major infrastructure project.
“Reaching this milestone was made possible by working safely and in complete collaboration with the A14 Integrated Delivery Team, and the completed carriageway upgrades will be of great benefit to the local area.”
Chris Hudson, Managing Director of Asphalt at Aggregate Industries, said: “From the outset, our investment in the new asphalt plant emphasised our commitment to delivering this project, and these milestones put our achievements into perspective. We’re looking forward to the new, improved A14 being fully up and running.”
The A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme, when completed, will feature 21 miles of new, multi-lane carriageway, laid utilising local primary and secondary aggregate supply sources.
