A45 corridor improvements & airport runway extension, Birmingham
VolkerFitzpatrick, in joint venture (JV) with Colas, delivered this major construction project with two distinct components for Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Airport. The first part of the contract was to realign and improve 2km of the A45 transport corridor and the second was to extend the runway at Birmingham Airport by 405m.
These two elements were delivered under a single contract because of their close interdependency, both physically and logistically. By combining the two schemes the VolkerFitzpatrick / Colas JV was able to bring a number of efficiencies and benefits to the scheme. This included delivering a more environmentally sustainable earthworks solution for the 650,000m3 of excavated materials.
The A45 transport corridor improvement scheme brings significant improvements to the A45 Coventry Road between Damson Parkway and M42, junction 6. It reduces congestion, improves safety and accessibility and acts as a major catalyst for investment.
Once the new 2km horseshoe shaped length of the A45 corridor was complete and in service, the focus switched to extending the runway by 405m. This extension enhanced the airport’s capabilities and opens it up to global travel for the people and economy of the Midlands. At just 2,600m, the previous runway length restricted the number of destinations and routes which could be served directly.
Along with the new extension, VolkerFitzpatrick also resurfaced the entire 2.6km runway as well as delivering numerous other upgrades to the airport’s infrastructure. This included modifications to the existing fuel farm, construction of a new taxi-way exit and installation of new aircraft ground lighting and approach lighting. Construction of a new airfield perimeter road and public transport road, new drainage works including a new pumping station with pollution control system and associated landscaping works were also completed.
