AECOM, in a design joint venture (DJV) with UK consultant Flint & Neill, is delivering detailed design consultancy services for the Mersey Gateway Project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UK.

The Mersey Gateway Project is a major new transport scheme linking the Liverpool city region, north Cheshire and the North West to the rest of the country. It includes significant changes and improvements to integrate the new route with the existing road network. The centrepiece of the project is a new 2.3km-long, six-lane toll bridge over the River Mersey. Flint & Neill is leading on the bridge design and AECOM leading on all landside works.

AECOM is delivering a broad range of multidisciplinary services for the complex landside works, including highway and structural design, environmental consultancy, land contamination and technology services. The scheme includes 7km of new roads, two major new junctions on both sides of the bridge and extensive improvements to the existing road network. In addition, AECOM is introducing innovative technology to the scheme through its experience on a number of Smart Motorway projects for the Highways Agency in England. The company is also providing specialist environmental advice to minimise the impact of the new route on the environment.

The Mersey Gateway Bridge project is expected to bring significant economic, transport and social benefits to the region, helping create thousands of new jobs, secure inward investment to the area and deliver important regeneration benefits. The scheme will also relieve congestion on the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, which is currently used by ten times the number of vehicles it was originally designed for.