National Highways have insisted “there are no issues with the delivery of the underpass” on the A63 despite recently delaying the finishing date by a year.
In mid-December it was announced that the A63 Castle Street project will not be completed until Spring 2026, a full year later than previously stated. The ambitious plans seek to take a section of the A63 underground, allowing Ferensway to connect with Commercial Road at ground level.
National Highways have stated that “the excavation of the underpass went very well” and that the ground has been “stabilised prior to any construction to ensure the underpass is successful.”
Nonetheless, despite there being “no issues with the delivery of the underpass”, National Highway added that “there have been a number of smaller issues experienced which have contributed to the delay due to the complex and linear nature of the construction sequence for the works.”
National Highways have also stated that despite “rigorous ground investigation work prior to the construction”, the project “experienced a delay from the presence of different material in the ground.” This meant the jet grouting, which is needed to be complete prior to the excavation of the ground, was delayed.
National Highways added: “It should be noted that the excavation works have been successfully completed and work to construct the base slab is ongoing. The underpass is constructed of diaphragm walls and are approximately 30m deep meeting the chalk, these are further supplemented by the grid tension piles to manage the pressures for the structure.”
Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from Hull with our free newsletter