Lagan Construction Group was awarded this £10m contract by Bilfinger Berger for the civil element of works required for the new Edinburgh Tram System. The works span from Haymarket Viaduct to the Lothian Road Junction with Princes Street, a total length of approximately 1Km.
The works have been programmed for 104 weeks and the site is split into two sections namely Haymarket and Shandwick place. These have then been sub-divided into a total of 14 traffic management sections with works in each area programmed to ensure the flow of traffic is maintained within this busy area. This means work and storage space is of a premium.
The scope of works is to install the track form and reconstruct the carriageways. This requires removal of all existing Street furniture, traffic signals and signage. The excavation and construction of 43 OLE (overhead line equipment) bases along the line of the works, requiring rotary bored piling. It also involves the excavation and reconstruction of the existing carriageway, installation the concrete track form, new drainage, construction of the new carriageway and installation of all new street lighting, street furniture including signage, along the length of the works. With changes to the existing carriageway reconstruction of existing and construction of new footpaths and footways is required. Within the site there is also a new tram stop to be constructed in Shandwick Place. All this is to be carried out while maintaining the flow of traffic and the thousands of pedestrians traversing the site on an hourly basis.
In addition the site team will have to dismantle, reconstruct and repair Shandwick Place wall which is a listed monument.