Timelapse: Upper Holloway Road Bridge replaced during rail blockade

The Holloway Road Bridge at Upper Holloway was replaced during a scheduled Christmas blockade of the overground railway underneath and a closure of the A1. The bridge deck which sits beneath the road was replaced, and the abutments that support the bridge from below were strengthened.

With a single span, the bridge carries two traffic lanes and two bus lanes on the A1 Holloway Road over a section of the railway line at Upper Holloway station, near Archway in the London Borough of Islington. The original bridge had reached the end of its operational life and was beyond simple repair.

The A1 Holloway Road has now re-opened to traffic in both directions, and finishing works are being completed in the final stage of work to the bridge.

In a coincident project by Network Rail, overhead cabling to electrify the railway is also being installed through the bridge site, and Upper Holloway station is being prepared for re-opening in February 2017.

Exemplary collaboration

Throughout this project Ramboll and its JV partner WSP/PB provided full coverage and support throughout the demolition and the bridge reconstruction. Collaboration between all parties in the delivery team has been exemplary and is a tribute to the planning and commitment of the staff from TfL, Hochtief, the many subcontractors, and our design team.

Demolition and reconstruction video

Click here to see a YouTube time-lapse video of the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge deck.

The Structures and Tunnels Investment Portfolio (STIP)

Ramboll and Parsons Brinckerhoff were appointed in a joint venture at an early stage to begin design work on all eight projects in The Structures and Tunnels Investment Portfolio (STIP).

Upper Holloway Road Bridge is one of four key road-over-rail bridge replacements taking place as part of ongoing STIP contracts with Transport for London, Hochtief (UK) Construction, Ramboll and Parsons Brinckerhoff (JV), and Skanska.