Skip to main content

Design contract awarded for M40 noise barriers

A new milestone in a project to develop innovative ways of reducing noise along the M40 has been reached, with the award of a design contract worth up to US$3 million. The contract will see WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff review sites along the M40 between junctions 3 and 8, which have been identified as areas where road noise is a particular issue and help decide where the barriers would be of benefit. Earlier this year, Highways England, working in partnership with the M40 Chiltern Environmental Group, (M40
November 17, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
A new milestone in a project to develop innovative ways of reducing noise along the M40 has been reached, with the award of a design contract worth up to US$3 million.

The contract will see WSP 4089 Parsons Brinkerhoff review sites along the M40 between junctions 3 and 8, which have been identified as areas where road noise is a particular issue and help decide where the barriers would be of benefit.

Earlier this year, 8101 Highways England, working in partnership with the M40 Chiltern Environmental Group, (M40 CEG) Wycombe District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council, ran a competition to develop a range of cost-effective barriers to reduce noise.

Potential designs include using solar panels in the barriers to produce clean energy to help offset their installation and operating costs.

Six entries were shortlisted and WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff will now work with the designers of the shortlisted entries to trial these noise barriers at the identified sites on the M40. These designs may also be installed on other parts of England’s strategic road network in the future.
 
Subject to the successful completion of the site review and development of design solutions for each site identified, Highways England will aim to start preparatory work for construction on site in winter 2016-17. This trial is entirely funded by Highways England and the construction phase of the project is subject to funding.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Intertraffic Awards 2022: enter now!
    December 15, 2021
    Exhibitors have until 20 January to enter the awards: there are three categories
  • Cost Benefit: Utah traffic light scheme pays dividends
    March 15, 2019
    A traffic signal control scheme in Utah is being taken up by other US authorities. David Crawford finds out how the Beehive State is leading the way in DoT and driver savings Growing numbers of US state departments of transportation (DoTs) and their road users are gaining real financial benefits from an advanced approach to traffic signal monitoring recently developed in Utah. Central to the system is its use of automated traffic signal performance measures (ATSPM) technology, brought in to improve th
  • Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot program enters new phase
    September 22, 2016
    The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment Program in the US is reaching its first major milestone and entering a new phase of development, bringing Tampa a step closer to the future of transportation. THEA’s project management team heads to Washington, DC, this week to meet with US Department of Transportation (USDOT) officials for the official kickoff of Phase 2, which will include the design and deployment of CV technology in downtown Tampa. The pilot,
  • New river crossings vital for east London
    October 14, 2014
    With the capital’s population forecast to grow to 10 million people by 2030, and with much of this growth due to take place in east London, demand for crossing the river will increase. Unless new river crossings are provided in east London, the overall growth of this part of London will be affected and its economic potential will not be fully realised. The Silvertown tunnel is a key part of the plans and is now progressing to the next stage with a consultation that starts on 15 October on detailed propos