Hyder Consulting PLC Annual Report 2012

Taking the highway:
The Hunter Expressway
The Hunter Expressway is currently the largest
road project underway in New South Wales,
Australia. The AUD1.7 billion project will form part
of a new bypass route that will benefit regional
and long haul traffic.
The Expressway involves the construction of a 40 kilometre dual
carriageway to be built under two contracts; the eastern and
western packages. Hyder forms part of the Hunter Expressway
Alliance - along with the state government’s Roads and Maritime
Services (RMS), Thiess and Parsons Brinckerhoff – which will
deliver the eastern section. This section is 13 kilometres long and
includes building three viaducts through the rugged terrain of the
Sugarloaf Range.
Critical success factors
Hyder’s expertise, combined with the proactive approach adopted
by all alliance partners, enabled the team to successfully address
technical, constructability and environmental requirements in the
design.
As an example, approximately two kilometres of viaduct through
the Sugarloaf Range were originally designed to be built using
the incremental launch method. However, by reverting to a
balanced cantilever approach, bridge span lengths could be
increased and environmental benefit brought to the Aboriginal
cultural heritage and flora in the area.
Client: Roads and
Maritime Services (RMS)
Contract value:
AUD30M (Hyder)
Services: Complex bridge
and highways designs, civil
structures and geotechnical
engineering.
Managing the remedial treatment to old mine workings in the
area was a major technical risk for the client and the future
operation of the expressway. The client’s decision to engage the
Alliance team to develop a solution was validated when the team
delivered one under time and budget.
Benefits
When complete, the project will provide a new route between the
west of Newcastle and urban growth centres in the Lower Hunter,
cutting travel times between Newcastle and Branxton by up to
28 minutes, and improving efficiency of the highway network
between Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane.
Results and achievements
Working alongside the alliance partners, including two key clients
(RMS and Thiess), Hyder has showcased technical excellence,
reinforced value through design solutions and strengthened
relationships.
The project is an impressive embodiment of Hyder’s core values
- trust, teamwork and excellence. Complex geological issues,
sensitive cultural areas and the imposition of strict vegetation
clearing limits were overcome with innovative thinking and
best practice engineering, facilitated through a collaborative
alliancing approach.
Hyder continues to provide site-based design support during the
construction phase, and the project is on track to meet its target
completion date in 2013.
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