£ 400 million
DBFO project
M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements, Scotland
RPS acted as Contractor’s Designer on behalf of Transport Scotland for this major £400m DBFO project comprising a new 12km dual three-lane motorway section of the M8 between Bailliestown and Newhouse, with three new grade separated motorway junctions and amendments to two existing motorway junctions.
It also comprised upgrades to approximately 16km of the existing motorway network including widening for additional lanes, realignments, drainage, mining stabilisation works, environmental mitigation and provision of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) across the network.
This project was awarded an ACEI Design Excellence Award in 2018.
Key details
Project name
M8/M73/M74 Motorway improvements, Scotland
Client
Transport Scotland
Location
Scotland
Services provided
- Contractor's designer
- Civil & Structural engineering
- Detailed design
- EIA
- BIM
Challenge
As one of the largest infrastructure developments in Scotland, the M8/M73/M4 improvements is a key element of Transport Scotland’s upgrade to the motorway network. Under live traffic conditions, with an estimated 100,000 movements per day, this project was a complex challenge for the RPS team to deliver:
- a new motorway between Baillieston and Newhouse, completing the M8
- improvements to Raith Interchange on the M74
- a new, all-purpose A8 between Baillieston and Eurocentral
- upgrading the existing M8 between Easterhouse and Baillieston
- upgrading the M73 between Baillieston and Maryville that links the M8 and M74
-
upgrade of the M74 between Daldowie and Hamilton
Solution
RPS developed a BIM model of the interchange, a collaborative effort between RPS, contractor and O&M teams. The use of BIM enabled our permanent and temporary works designers to coordinate the design of the permanent works with traffic management, dewatering and temporary works.
We undertook detailed design for 40 structures including underpasses, highway, rail and foot/cycle bridges, culverts, retaining walls and bridge pier protections. 13 existing bridges were widened and strengthened. It also included detailed inspections of reinforced concrete, pre-stressed concrete and steel structures up to 40 years old. A detailed design for a new 600m long underpass, existing roundabout realignment, five new bridges and pedestrian, cycling facilities at Raith Junction, under live traffic conditions, was delivered.
Other design elements include pavement, traffic signals, drainage, road markings, gantry structures, environmental management, lighting and noise barrier
Project statistics
40
Structures
12
Kilometres dual three-lane motorway
600
Metre underpass at Raith junction