Just stop arguing and build the thing

The news that the preferred route has been announced for a new road and tunnel link that will bypass the UK’s famous Stonehenge stone circle comes after years of debate. The project is for the construction of a new 13km dual carriageway link and includes a 2.6km stretch of tunnel, which is the subject of some controversy. Because of the archeological importance of the area, the tunnel has been decided as being the best option for the new route. Building a tunnel will allow much of the important archeologi
December 15, 2017 Read time: 3 mins
The news that the preferred route has been announced for a new road and tunnel link that will bypass the UK’s famous Stonehenge stone circle comes after years of debate.


The project is for the construction of a new 13km dual carriageway link and includes a 2.6km stretch of tunnel, which is the subject of some controversy.

Because of the archeological importance of the area, the tunnel has been decided as being the best option for the new route. Building a tunnel will allow much of the important archeological site to remain undisturbed. However some claim that the tunnel, is simply not long enough.

With this in mind it is worth remembering that the Stonehenge Bypass project has been planned since the late 1980s. The project went to public consultation in 1993 and the route was identified in 1995, with it then being withdrawn in 1996. In 1998, the project was put forward again and a preferred route announced in 1999, but after a public inquiry in 2004 and concerns over costs in 2005, it was withdrawn once more in 2007. It seems the work may finally go ahead, but only if it passes a few more hurdles. The dispute over whether a 2.6km tunnel is long enough is just one issue. Other complaints describe the planned tunnel portals as unsightly and say that the existing (and heavily congested) road link should remain.

But nor are such failures to develop much-needed infrastructure links limited to the UK. In the Canadian province of British Colombia came the news recently that plans for a US$2.8 billion, 10-lane bridge crossing to replace the aged George Massey Tunnel near Vancouver had been halted. The 3km-long cable-stayed bridge would have been built to the latest standards and would boost both safety and capacity, cutting congestion for drivers. It is much needed. The tunnel, constructed in the 1950s and opened to traffic in 1959, is no longer fit for purpose. The four-lane tunnel is the subject of serious congestion and does not meet the latest safety standards. More worryingly still, there are concerns as to whether it would withstand an earthquake, as Vancouver lies close to the Cascadia Fault. Perhaps the new Massey Bridge will get the go-ahead, once the local politicians realise that not to build it will cause more fuss in the long run. Only time will tell.

Related Content

  • US DOTs in critical funding battle
    February 9, 2012
    In the US, state DOTs are preparing for the upcoming reauthorisation battle in a tough economic and political climate. Set to expire by the end of the year, the bill is a critical funding source for many transportation projects in the US. However transportation officials in the US are facing a tough battle as the political and economic climate has changed considerably since the last reauthorisation was passed, shortly after President Obama's inauguration in January 2009. Since then, the recession has contin
    Read More
  • CONTROLS has developed a new business strategy
    April 4, 2013
    With the European economy in crisis and continuing shifts in the world order, manufacturers must re-think their business strategies if they are to succeed. Seasoned survivor Pasquale di Iorio, CEO of construction testing equipment specialist CONTROLS Group shares his plans for the future - Kristina Smith met him in Italy Pasquale Di Iorio has been at the helm of construction testing equipment manufacturer CONTROLS Group since 1996. First impressions suggest that Di Iorio is a strong leader: confidently dete
    Read More
  • Three Colombian bridge projects commencing
    January 17, 2019
    In Colombia progress is being seen on three major bridge projects located in different parts of the country. Construction of the new Pumajero Bridge is well in hand and is expected to be complete before the end of 2019. The new PumajeroBbridge will be 2,247m in length and have 990m of viaduct connections and access, as well as two three-lane carriageways on each side. Once the new bridge is open to traffic, the old cable-stayed concrete link between Baranquilla and Sitionuevo will be demolished. The new
    Read More
  • Kazakhstan’s London road show woos consortia for Almaty ring road
    March 2, 2015
    Kazak and EBRD officials visited London to highlight the possibility of a public-private partnership under the country’s revised PPP legal framework. David Arminas reports. To build a road, you go on the road, and that is what Kazakhstan did in London in mid-December. Representatives of more than 100 organisations, a mix of construction companies and financial institutions, attended the roadshow-style presentation to attract foreign capital for BAKAD, the Almaty Ring Road Concession. The message was that Ka
    Read More

Highlighted Content