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Lledr Valley, A470 Wales

Words: Anthony Beachey

1.0m verge

6.250m New carriageway Original carriageway 0.250m verge

Setting in stone
Sketch, right: these stone-faced retaining walls and new stone boundary walls were built with a dry stone appearance in harmony with the existing walls. Where possible, stone taken from the improvement area was re-used in keeping with the areas natural surroundings.

Typical section through anchored facing

Rockfall protection measures with stone masonry cladding

Generally highway boundary retained to meet landscape and integration objective to retain one boundary throughout the scheme

Very steep uphill slope

Varies up to 13.0m max

The A470 is a vital link between North and South Wales, but a 7.2km stretch was proving a risky ride until the Welsh Assembly Government decided it was time to take action now its been called the greenest road in Britain

Arup

Masonry cladding attached to concrete by stainless steel anchored wall tiles

Face of original rock fill embankment

Varies up to 2.0m

The long and winding road

In brief In August 2002 Arup and construction company Laing ORourke won the design-and-build contract to upgrade 7.2km of the A470 linking Dolwyddelan and Pont-yr-Afanc, near Betws y Coed. Its a 17.5m road improvement scheme in the ruggedly stunning Lledr Valley of North Wales, the eastern gateway to the mountains of Snowdonia. The Assembly Government is responsible for the trunk road network and has long recognised its importance and the need to launch a series of projects to improve it.

Designing and constructing major roadworks in some of Britains most environmentally sensitive countryside requires the kind of creative approach that Arup is well known for. At Lledr Valley, the existing highways narrow alignment and tortuous bends represented a glaring safety hazard, particularly for heavy goods drivers. Poor visibility and minimal verges hampered overtaking, and prevented the roads safe use by pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists. Congestion, frequent delays and an above-average accident rate prevailed. Road widening and other improvements were an urgent priority. The main issue was that the project brief demanded the design teams to provide a safe and reliable route for road users, whilst preserving a landscape of lush pastures, ancient woodland and diverse flora and fauna without closing the road. A further vital component for an additional route running through Snowdonia National Park was to mitigate environmental damage and enhance aesthetics. Such a project called for a sympathetic design and demonstrably sustainable credentials. A comprehensive planning process and a nonadversarial partnering approach helped to minimise disputes and prevent delays. From the outset, we developed an integrated design and construction programme, allowing us to deliver critical information on time and as required, says Dan Saville, Arup associate director and project manager for the Lledr Valley Scheme. We also worked well with the Welsh Government Assembly and its agent, Halcrow. Our people adopted a proactive approach when dealing with problems and site queries, which helped relations and saved immeasurable amounts of time. Soil nails (traditionally used to achieve steep slope angles) were included in the original illustratvie design, but additional investigation and analysis and risk assessments showed them to be unnecessary. This reduced costs for Laing ORourke and minimised highway disruption, as

In-situ reinforced concrete anchored panels Conjectured rock head

Massive tabular slabs of slate River channel

Rock anchors

Bedrock exposed in river Use of existing boulders and massive slates as foundations minimised works in the river and removed the need to place concrete within the river channel

Boulder

construction was occurring next to a live The entire Lledr Valley carriageway. Arup repeatedly demonstrated its project team worked ability to respond quickly to design changes; for towards a common goal example, when the rockhead level measured at of delivering the road certain sites varied significantly from that predicted improvement in an environmentally sensitive in the design an important factor in terms of piling for the roads retaining wall. We couldnt just way. The fact that this was achieved some five months halt the project to send our query 170 miles to Cardiff, says Saville. Instead, the flexibility inherent early, within a partnering in our modular design solutions prevented delays. framework, and that the project is now receiving The team effectively translated the projects Environmental Action Plan into workable schemes. awards demonstrates that the team got it right. These included safely removing fish by Mike Gilbert electrofishing ahead of river works, and A470 Lledr Valley Improvement incorporating recesses in retaining walls to allow project director, Transport, reptiles, birds and bats to nest and roost. Wales, Welsh Assembly The project opened in January 2005, within Government. budget and five months ahead of schedule, which allowed Laing ORourke to free up staff for alternative sites and to accrue cost savings. Arups own reward has been that the firm helped to build what has been described as possibly the greenest road in Britain.

Rob Watkins

The bats are back

Right: a pet project was the creation of a new local bat hibernaculum otherwise known as the bat hotel to make it attractive to the tiny mammals and help facilitate construction. Measurable performance targets such as recycling dismantled stone boundary walls in other parts of the project maximised sustainability whilst minimising environmental damage.

Client National Assembly for Wales Clients agent Halcrow Clients environmental advisor Wyn Thomas Gordon Lewis Contractor Laing ORourke Landscape architect TACP Ecologist Cresswell Associates Arboriculturist Amenity Tree Care Archaeologist Gwynedd Archaeological Trust

Rob Watkins