The DBFO1 (Design, Build, Finance and Operate Package 1) project is Northern Ireland’s most high-profile motorway and infrastructure reconfiguration to date. Covering 60 kilometres of strategic highways around Belfast – including the M1, M2, A12, A8, M3, M5 and M22 corridors – it forms an integral part of the region’s transport network.
In 2006, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) appointed Highway Management (City) Ltd to manage the network under a 30-year contract. Since 2017, we have played a central role in this framework as technical advisor. Applying our long-standing expertise in asset management, we’re overseeing the design and supervision of major maintenance works across the DBFO1 network.
This includes providing strategic guidance on lifecycle efficiency and ensuring the long-term performance, safety and resilience of the entire network.
What is DBFO1 and why is it important?
The DBFO1 network encompasses four of Northern Ireland’s busiest roads and is therefore key to supporting the region’s economic and social infrastructure by improving connectivity, reducing congestion and enhancing road safety.
As Northern Ireland’s first public-private partnership (PPP) of its kind, DBFO1 combines private sector expertise and funding with public sector oversight to deliver and maintain critical infrastructure.
The project is divided into two phases:
- The construction phase (2006–2009): focused on capacity improvements across the network, including upgrades to the A12 Westlink, additional lanes on the M1 (Junctions 1–2) and M2 (Junctions 2–4), new slip roads at M2 Junction 7 and extensive communication system enhancements.
- The operation and maintenance phase (2009–2036): ensures the ongoing management and upkeep of the network, which includes a combination of dual carriageways and motorways on the principal radial routes into Belfast ranging from two to five lanes.
Applying our asset management expertise to DBFO1
As technical advisor, our team is supporting the ongoing operation and maintenance phase of the DBFO1 network.
A key part of our role involves managing the annual Major Maintenance Plans (MMPs) for pavements, structures and ancillaries. These plans require both technical and commercial input to determine annual budgets and assess the intervention timescales and whole lifecycle costs for each asset group.
Importantly, the MMPs are designed to meet the network’s ultimate handback requirements in 2036, ensuring the assets are returned in a “defect-free” condition.
Through a focus on lifecycle asset management, our team is working to ensure the network meets contractual performance standards and ongoing requirements, while being fully prepared for handback.
In addition to this, we’re providing day-to-day technical advice and management services – from scoping and designing maintenance schemes to overseeing their implementation. We also undertake various additional services for the client, including specialist surveys and investigations, and support with procurement and project management activities.
Investigating and eliminating lifecycle risks
In 2018, we were tasked with investigating a recurring pavement defect across the network that posed a significant lifecycle risk.
To identify the issue, our asset management team conducted comprehensive site surveys, including visual and video inspections as well as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans, all of which were performed in-house. They also carried out detailed pavement investigations and testing on-site, collecting samples for further analysis at our Materials Research Laboratory in Nottingham.
To further understand the problem, we employed an innovative pavement stitch coring technique, which provided critical data on hidden defects and informed the development of an effective solution.
Close collaboration with the client and contractor was key to our success. By agreeing on the scope early, we secured timely approvals and established trust in our supervision processes. Additionally, our expertise in construction methods and traffic management ensured that the works were programmed to minimise disruption to drivers.
As a result, we successfully eliminated a major lifecycle risk, safeguarding the network’s long-term performance and resolving an issue that might have been far more challenging to address later in the project lifecycle.
Addressing a legacy issue on the Lagan Bridge
Elsewhere on the network, we addressed a functionality defect with the Lagan Bridge bearings. The bridge, which carries Belfast’s eight-lane M3 motorway over the Lagan River, posed long-term risks due to some legacy post-construction issues.
Our specialists therefore conducted a detailed investigation and developed a phased replacement strategy to minimise costs and disruption. Phase 1, which involved replacing 11 bearings, was successfully completed in summer 2024 during planned weekend closures, ensuring no delays or overruns.
To improve future maintenance, we recommended the installation of a wireless monitoring system, which allows for real-time tracking of bearing performance and helps to spot problems early. This proactive approach reduced lifecycle maintenance costs and supported the development of a Reactive Bearing Maintenance Strategy, enabling timely interventions only when necessary.
Enhancing Northern Ireland’s roads for the future
DBFO1 illustrates the benefits of public-private partnerships in delivering essential infrastructure. By improving Belfast’s key highways, the scheme is helping to ensure safer, more efficient journeys while boosting trade and connectivity across Northern Ireland.
Leveraging our experience from projects such as the A19 DBFO in North East England, we are helping to maintain and futureproof this essential network, ensuring it remains resilient and reliable for current and future generations.
Images courtesy of Intertoll