Skanska, working on behalf of National Highways, has marked a milestone with the successful demolition of the existing Roxton Road Bridge. It’s the final demolition activity on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements scheme, clearing the way for the new Roxton Road link. Watch the timelapse footage here.
Roxton Road Bridge spanned the existing A421, linking local villages to the Black Cat roundabout. A new replacement bridge, which opened to traffic earlier this month, has been built to accommodate the requirements of the updated junction layout at the Black Cat Roundabout.
The new bridge is designed to carry significantly heavier loads, accommodating traffic from local businesses that previously accessed the A1 directly. The former bridge did not allow enough room for the new westbound and eastbound slip roads, including the free-flow link road from the A421 to the A1. It also lacked the required clearance for the newly elevated A421, which rises as it approaches the junction’s flyover.
Willie McCormick, Project Director, said: "The demolition was meticulously planned and executed during a full 48-hour closure of the A421 to ensure safety and efficiency. I want to sincerely thank the entire team for their dedication and hard work in making this complex operation a success."
Our subcontractor, Armac, deployed six excavators to carry out the work. The process began with breaking out the deck from the centre outward. Steel beams were carefully cut and safely dropped onto crash matting below, minimising risk. Following this, two 60-tonne excavators were used to lift the beams from the carriageway, where they were then sectioned into smaller, manageable pieces for removal.
The demolition process also included the removal of piers and abutments. All concrete material generated will be crushed and reused onsite for haul roads and temporary works platforms, contributing to the project’s sustainability efforts.