HS2 has embarked on a significant construction project to build a new bridge that will carry the high-speed railway line beneath the busy A38 road on the outskirts of Lichfield.
Engineers have started work on the foundations for the Rykneld Street bridge, which will be located directly beneath the A38 carriageway at Streethay. These foundations are being created by sinking 88 concrete piles, each reaching depths of between 20 and 27 meters.
To facilitate this complex construction process, a temporary 320-meter stretch of the A38 has been built. Once the piling work is complete and the bridge deck is installed in late 2025, this temporary road section will be removed, allowing space for the high-speed railway to pass underneath.
The Rykneld Street bridge, measuring 90.5 meters in length, is the final of three retaining structures to be constructed at Streethay. The other two bridges, the A38 Southbound Slip Overbridge and the Streethay Overbridge, will also allow the HS2 line to pass beneath the A38, its slip lanes, and the existing South Staffordshire freight railway.
The entire construction process is expected to involve the excavation of approximately 750,000 cubic meters of earth, which will be reused to create embankments along the HS2 route in the local area.
David Perry, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd, said:
“Carrying out a complex engineering operation of this scale in close proximity to a live carriageway comes with a unique set of challenges, requiring a multi-stage and collaborative approach from everyone involved.
“Our thanks go to National Highways, BBV and our wider supply chain as we start this next phase of construction at Streethay and, importantly, to our dedicated site team charged with safely delivering the Rykneld Street structure.”
Image credit: HS2
