Access Engineering PLC completes first phase of Polduwa Bridge
View(s):Access Engineering PLC has completed phase one of the replacement of the 36 metre bridge at Polduwa Junction at Sri Jayawardanapura and near Sri Lanka’s Parliament, the company said this week.
Polduwa bridge
Construction began on August 10, 2013 for the replacement of the existing bridge. The first phase of the project which is the South Bridge is open to the public whilst the construction of the North Bridge is in steady progress to completion by September this year. This section has many utility lines including water and sewerage pipes to be relocated.
In a statement detailing out the developments, Access said in recognition of roads, bridges and flyover’s clearly supplementing the national productivity and efficiency, the Road Development Authority recognised the requirement to replace the existing 36 metre bridge at Polduwa Junction as a top priority.
Access with a track record of completing numerous successful engineering projects collaborated with Mabey Bridge; a leading specialist supplier of high quality steel bridges from the United Kingdom as the main contractor and performed the tasks including investigations, surveys, designing of substructures, installation of substructures and superstructure and implementation of the finishing works of the overall bridge. “Since the opening of the first half of the bridge, the traffic plying on Kollupitiya – Sri Jayawardanapura road section from Rajagiriya to Battaramulla has considerably eased. This section is considered to be a central artery serving the movement of traffic to the administrative capital city and many other connectivity roads to Colombo,” the company said. The proposed multi-span composite bridge is structurally portioned out into two, namely North Bridge and South Bridge and the construction proceeds in two phases to minimise the disturbances caused to the traffic during the construction process. The combined bridge increases the overall bridge span from the existing 36m to 70.61m. Each bridge is composed of 3 structures, the main road bridge flanked on either side with a combined pedestrian, the service Bridge and an architectural arch.
“The complete bridge with two 9.6m carriageways (six lanes), 1.2 m wide central reservation and two 0.9m wide raised shoulders will accommodate Colombo city bound traffic and the gradually intensifying traffic to and from the administrative capital; Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte which holds the Parliament and many other administrative offices. The recently opened South Bridge with its three lane carriageway has already started to ease off the Colombo-bound traffic,” it said.
Access said that this multi-functional highway bridge building with lighted architectural steel tube arches will also hold an architectural significance “as it will collaborate with the scenic view of the banks of Diyawanna Oya and the lush greenery, peaceful environment and illuminated walkways preserved in Diyatha Uyana; the recreational opportunity facing Diyawanna Oya. The elevated part of the bridge from the surface of the water allows sail boats and paddle crafts to pass beneath the bridge facilitating water sporting and sightseeing opportunities set up in Diyatha Uyana”.