South Devon Link Road

Description

The South Devon Link Road is a 5.5km dual carriageway, which provided the long awaited bypass for Kingskerswell realigning the existing A380 between Newton Abbot and Torbay.
 
  Designed and constructed by Galliford Try-SIAC Joint Venture – a fully integrated non incorporated joint venture.
  It was the largest highway project in the South West during this period.
  During construction 1 million vehicles per month use the existing A380 – 35,000 per day.
  Completed in December 2015.
  Following a competition the road in now known as the South Devon Highway.

Construction facts and figures 
Almost 2,000,000 hours worked. 
140,000 tonnes of asphalt laid. 
23km of kerbing laid. 
Nearly 2,750 site inductions took place for new staff and contractors. 
Project used a total of more than 38,000m3 of concrete. 
More than 360,000 tonnes of aggregate was used. 
A total of more than 760,000m3 of earth was moved (1.6m tonnes). 
40km of piping was installed. 
A total of nine bridges were constructed together with a number of retaining walls and culverts. 
One 300m long railway tunnel was built.

Flood alleviation 
Historically there have been areas susceptible to flooding in the area - these have been addressed by including a number of measures to alleviate flooding in Kingskerswell and the Keyberry area of Newton Abbot. 
Flood alleviation measures have included the construction of a number of culverts, earth bunds, open channels and ditches to divert flood waters. 
Flood alleviation measures have been designed to protect areas susceptible to flooding and to take flood water away from these areas more efficiently.

Significant Achievement
Significant features include the Keyberry Culvert that was constructed under the railway line when the line was closed at Dawlish due to storm damage.

The works were completed within a week and involved:
  Removing four railway lines over 60 metres in length
  Removing 10,000 tonnes of material
  Installing three rows of concrete units
  57 culvert sections installed – each weighing 27 tonnes
  5,000 person hours worked

Other facts 
Wherever possible, nothing was wasted from the project; efforts were made to reuse all the material excavated.   Instead of transporting in new material it was relocated to where it was needed on site, which not only kept costs down, but had the added benefit of reducing the carbon footprint.
For example, the pink limestone excavated at Maddacombe, Kingskerswell was crushed and graded as fill along the route and used as masonry for facing the retaining walls adjacent to Aller Park Road. 
Most of the material excavated from the areas of cut along Hamelin Way and at Maddacombe was used for new embankments near Aller and at the Edginswell Junction. 
Traffic was maintained along the existing A380 with one lane in both directions throughout the duration of the project.