paving highway 1

As much as the Roman’s knew a thing or two about building roads they completely failed to grasp the fundamentals of ‘traffic calming’ in their designs. 2000 years later these newer innovations are commonplace in the villages that are bisected by these long and straight arterial roads. They have become an essential element of reducing the unacceptable speed levels that such roads can encourage.

In recent years many of the ‘A’ classified former Roman Roads have been either upgraded to, or replaced by nearby Motorway specification highways. What is left is a network of routes that are favoured for the movement of abnormal loads as their low speeds can be more easily accommodated there. It does however throw up the question of how to move wide loads through these width restricted villages.

A solution has been adopted by Cambridgeshire County Highway Authority who commissioned the construction of contra-flow laybys adjacent to traffic islands in the village of Arrington along Roman Ermine Street now more commonly referred to as the A1198. With an open grass verge to the South bound lane it was possible to construct a trapezoidal shaped layby in Grasscrete next to the islands at each end of the village. This the police escorted abnormal loads use to divert around the islands. The photo in this example shows North bound traffic moving around one such island. To cater for the these heavy loads Grasscrete with 10mm diameter A393 mesh reinforcement was specified.

Also available as a full project report, please ask for further details