en.Wedoany.com Reported - Tetra Tech has secured a nine-month contract worth £405,800 to conduct a geotechnical survey for the structural repair works of the Bickenhill Bridge on the M42 motorway in the UK. Located at the northern roundabout of Junction 6 on the M42 in the West Midlands, the bridge was found to have structural deterioration during a routine inspection.

The contract, awarded by National Highways, the operator of England's roads, under its ground investigation framework, includes intrusive and non-intrusive site surveys, drilling, trial pits, laboratory testing, factual reporting, and related geotechnical services. The survey results will inform the design and development of the structural works for Bickenhill.

A routine inspection at the end of 2025 identified deterioration in the structure, prompting National Highways to take precautionary measures to manage deck loads while further investigations are carried out. Currently, one lane has been closed, and weight restrictions have been imposed on vehicles over 7.5 tonnes to prevent further degradation. Two lanes remain open on the roundabout, and traffic on the M42 beneath the bridge is unaffected in both directions.

These restrictions are expected to remain in place until further notice. National Highways is working with local stakeholders, including Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham Business Park, and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), to manage the impact on affected users.

The nature and scope of the repair works have yet to be determined and will depend on the results of ongoing investigations and the ground survey program, which is expected to be completed by March 2027.

The road authority emphasized that the repair works for Bickenhill Bridge are not part of the M42 Junction 6 improvement scheme. That £282 million project, aimed at alleviating congestion at this busy junction, primarily involves constructing a new 2.4-kilometer dual carriageway link road, a new junction on the M42, two new roundabouts, and a new bridge over the A45. These works are now largely complete.

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