Balfour Beatty demolishes M8 bridge to create junction

A huge array of construction machinery from leading international equipment manufacturers was deployed by Balfour Beatty recently to demolish a farm access bridge over the M8 motorway between junctions 4 and 5 to enable the completion of slip roads for the new Heartlands junction in West Lothian, Scotland. The Cowhill Bridge demolition was a major milestone for Ecosse Regeneration in the construction of Junction 4a. Ten excavators equipped with hydraulic breakers and munching attachments were used to remove
August 8, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A huge array of construction machinery from leading international equipment manufacturers was deployed by 1146 Balfour Beatty recently to demolish a farm access bridge over the M8 motorway between junctions 4 and 5 to enable the completion of slip roads for the new Heartlands junction in West Lothian, Scotland.

The Cowhill Bridge demolition was a major milestone for Ecosse Regeneration in the construction of Junction 4a. Ten excavators equipped with hydraulic breakers and munching attachments were used to remove the four-span composite construction bridge during a 10-hour night time closure of the M8. Materials removed during the demolition are being recycled.

A recently completed 50m long, single span bridge provides a new access to the farm and forms part of the new grade separated junction that will provide the main access route to Heartlands, a US$968.15 million (£650mn) business, retail, residential and leisure destination.

M8 Junction 4a is set to open in September 2013.

Click here to watch the Balfour Beatty demolition team in action.
Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Long reach equipment simplifies demolition
    February 14, 2012
    Demolition is a highly specialised business, as the machinery required to carry out the work on high-rise demolition contracts can be very site specific. Today's high reach demolition rig is no longer simply a tracked excavator with a long boom, indeed some machines cannot be used as excavators at all. Likewise a machine that is dedicated to carrying a 2.5 or 3tonne shear or hammer will need to be built to take the stresses and strains of demolition life.
    Read More
  • Long reach equipment simplifies demolition
    April 13, 2012
    Demolition is a highly specialised business, as the machinery required to carry out the work on high-rise demolition contracts can be very site specific. Today's high reach demolition rig is no longer simply a tracked excavator with a long boom, indeed some machines cannot be used as excavators at all. Likewise a machine that is dedicated to carrying a 2.5 or 3tonne shear or hammer will need to be built to take the stresses and strains of demolition life. Many of the ultra long boom machines are designed
    Read More
  • Italy's strategic tunnel link
    August 21, 2012
    The world's largest tunnelling machine is completing Italy's important road connection between Bologna and Florence - Adrian Greeman reports For just under a decade a huge programme of highway construction has been underway in the mountainous region between Bologna and Florence, realigning a section of the A1 highway nearly 70km long. The new section, through major tunnels and across high viaducts, will greatly increase capacity on Italy's most important highway.
    Read More
  • Cold recycling helps rebuild of Brazil’s Ayrton Senna highway
    September 28, 2015
    Brazil’s Ayrton Senna Highway has been rebuilt using cold recycling. Brazil’s SP-070 is also known as the Ayrton Senna Highway and is a major highway in the country, carrying heavy traffic volumes. For its rebuild, the time-saving, cost-efficient and eco-friendly benefits of the cold recycling process have been put to the test. The SP-070 provides a key transport link between São Paulo and Campos do Jordão, Vale do Paraíba and Rio de Janeiro, as well as being the main access route to Guarulhos Interna
    Read More

Highlighted Content