Unity Way Bridge: Supporting Growth and Sustainability
Unity Way is a vital new road linking Junction 5 of the M18 to Waggons Way near the former Hatfield Colliery. This essential infrastructure supports the Unity Project, one of the UK’s largest regeneration initiatives, covering 250 hectares with a mixed-use development.
The project required a new bridge to span the Doncaster and Wrawby Junction Line, crossing five mainline tracks and one colliery siding with an impressive 42m span. The bridge plays a critical role not only in the Unity Project but also in the future construction of a 900MW IGCC power station on the Hatfield Colliery site, designed to handle extremely heavy loads during its build.
Geoquest partnered with Aecom to create a robust solution for the bridge abutments. The reinforced soil abutments were designed to withstand high concentrated loads, including Special Order vehicles with a maximum trailer weight of 350 tonnes. This 42m bridge is one of the UK’s longest semi-integral structures utilising this advanced reinforced soil technology.
The precast concrete facing panels, just 140mm thick, were engineered to fully support the bridge reactions, eliminating the need for costly column supports or thick reinforced concrete abutments. This approach provided significant cost, time, and environmental benefits while maintaining a sleek and elegant design.
The abutments were constructed by CT Construction using Geoquest’s BBA HAPAS-accredited system, featuring high-adherence galvanised steel soil reinforcement and modular panels. The result is a durable and efficient structure integral to the success of the Unity Project and the sustainable development of the surrounding area.
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