VolkerFitzpatrick has won a £59 million contract from Birmingham City Council to provide strengthening and refurbishment works to the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct.

Built in the early 1970s, the 620m long composite viaduct, which forms the northern end of the A38(M) Aston Expressway near 'Spaghetti Junction', has started to show signs of deterioration, and this upgrade is vital to maintain the longevity, safety and functionality of the structure. Works will start this month to strengthen and refurbish the viaduct, which is 25 metres wide and carries seven lanes of traffic over 22 spans.

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The viaduct's superstructure will be strengthened via the addition of steel plates, secured in position using a combination of welding and bolting. In addition to strengthening, anti-corrosion paint will be applied to the structure, alongside other refurbishment works to help preserve the viaduct’s longevity and minimise the need for future work.

Deon Scholtz, operations director for VolkerFitzpatrick's Infrastructure division said: "We are delighted to have been appointed by Birmingham City Council to carry out much needed works to upgrade and improve the Tame Valley Viaduct. This is a vital part of Birmingham's road network, and we look forward to working with the council to provide an integrated solution that achieves high levels of technical capability and service, leading to a safe, successful project completion."