Green land-bridges

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trickstat
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by trickstat »

Berk wrote:Weston Hills is not a land bridge - it's a cut'n'cover tunnel.
While it is certainly not a bridge in terms of construction it does act as a sort of "land bridge" in terms of the rural environment. IIRC there is a footpath route across it that didn't exist before the bypass was built.
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wrinkly
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by wrinkly »

The A556 green bridge is visible in this video, from about 3:40 to 4:20 and a glimpse for a few seconds from about 6:13.

https://youtu.be/0JHph7Eok2Q
Isleworth1961
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Isleworth1961 »

There's one over the Piccadilly Line on the London Underground adjacent to Osterley station, squeezed between the station footbridge and the Great West Road, A4. It dates from the line's construction some 30 years before the Great West Road, and there has never been a road pass over it. It carries only a footpath from the neighbouring housing estate.
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Derek
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Derek »

A slight variation on the theme is the Green Man roundabout in London.

GSV

Inside it is surprisingly rural for the location and I have to say an outstanding example of urban expressway design.

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Jim606
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Jim606 »

A slight variation on the theme is the Green Man roundabout in London.
Yes, I think Green Man on the A12 could (sort of) count as there is greenery on top. Other things which might count (by default) are unused bridges which have been partially reclaimed by nature. There is one on the A120 at Elmstead Market near Colchester which has been unused for over 30 years. Please see recent press article about it http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/1471 ... _and_A133/
A BRIDGE built 30 years ago across the A120 could be used to link the road to the A133. Councillors have called on the bodies behind the 'garden community' to consider using the bridge, which is east of Elmstead and not used, instead of wasting money by creating a new one. Shaun Boughton, Wivenhoe town councillor, said: “It’s really quite eerie because there are trees growing on it. “But when you’re standing on it you can see the university and Wivenhoe. “It’s not far away at all. “So the infrastructure is already there. I don’t know what this bridge was built for but they must have been expecting future development. “I don’t know how much a bridge costs, maybe £5million, but wouldn’t it be better to use that then build another one?” The proposed link road between the A120 and A133 would be created after Bromley Road but before Elmstead.
A120 unused bridge at Elmstead Market near Colchester.jpg
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Bryn666 »

Derek wrote:A slight variation on the theme is the Green Man roundabout in London.

GSV

Inside it is surprisingly rural for the location and I have to say an outstanding example of urban expressway design.

Derek
Despite the controversy the M11 Link generated it is surprisingly unobtrusive on the surrounding area by virtue of being in deep cuttings and tunnels. It is a far better example of an urban highway than the Westway in that capacity.
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Scratchwood
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Scratchwood »

Not strictly a green land-bridge but the junction of the A406 with the East End Road near Finchley very cleverly incorporates a roof garden over the underpass. Indeed the underpass is a lot longer than it need be, in order to hide the road away, which it does very effectively, you barely notice the A406 underneath. The second link gives a bit of background

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Eas ... -0.1642618

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7UJ ... ss&f=false
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Jim606
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Jim606 »

I've updated my green bridge list to include the more recent proposals and some of the similar cut and cover tunnels with 'natural toppings' if those are the right words?

2026? A303 Stonehenge various
2020? A30 Marazanvose on the Chiverton to Carland Cross dualling scheme

2017 A556 Knutsford to Bowden Improvement
2015 A391 Carludden bypass, Cornwall
2011 A354 Ridgeway Green Bridge on the Weymouth Relief Road
2005 A21 Lamberhurst Bypass / Scotney Castle green bridge
2002 A12 Wansted (175m) and George Green (300m) cut and cover tunnels
1999 A11 Mile End Park, East London
1984 M25 Bell Common (450m) cut and cover
& old A2 Tollgate and London Docklands as mentioned earlier in this thread plus A299
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Alderpoint »

Let it snow.
wallmeerkat
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by wallmeerkat »

The Westbound onslip is a bit of a mess. Who even has priority?

On onslip leading directly to an offslip lane and a short weave to get onto the mainline.

If you go forward and spin the camera 180 (look behind) you can see several cars trying to zip merge.

I'm reminded a little of the onslips on the old Livingston cloverleaves, but at least these had a give way (albeit assessing traffic, stopping then trying to get up to speed on a short sliproad was scary enough)
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Alderpoint
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Alderpoint »

wallmeerkat wrote: Mon Jul 23, 2018 13:31 The Westbound onslip is a bit of a mess. Who even has priority?
On onslip leading directly to an offslip lane and a short weave to get onto the mainline.
If you go forward and spin the camera 180 (look behind) you can see several cars trying to zip merge.
Welcome to the delights of the Coventry Ring Road - the vast majority of the junctions are like that: you either love it or hate it.
Have a look at http://www.cbrd.co.uk/articles/coventry-ring-road
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WHBM
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by WHBM »

M25 Bell Common at Epping meets all the criteria originally posted, maintaining the Epping Forest continuity. In highway engineering and safety systems, its length makes it regarded as a tunnel.
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trickstat
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by trickstat »

WHBM wrote: Mon Jul 23, 2018 17:55 M25 Bell Common at Epping meets all the criteria originally posted, maintaining the Epping Forest continuity. In highway engineering and safety systems, its length makes it regarded as a tunnel.
IIRC the main driver behind its creation was the retention of the cricket pitch. Although there is a lot to be said for keeping the rural feel of the forest. I don't think I drove it until about 5 years ago and you really wouldn't know that you'd just crossed above the M25.
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by wallmeerkat »

About 10 years ago Broadway roundabout was converted to a grade seperated junction with the mainline going under an underpass.

Details from NIRS site

The centre of the main roundabout is now covered in greenery and a sculpture.
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Jim606
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Jim606 »

I had only a vague idea about the Coventry scheme. Thanks for the info. I've only ever driven on the Coventry ring road once and that was many years ago. An interesting scheme to create a new or recreated open space at Greyfriars. I found this link about its opening in 2015
http://www.itv.com/news/central/2015-05 ... oad-opens/
Open space created on top of Coventry's Inner Ring Road J6
Open space created on top of Coventry's Inner Ring Road J6
Looks like a ridiculous shared space on the left with the red tarmac. I can almost see all hoards people frolicking around with a regular array of 12.5 double decker's. The boulevard on the right seems nice and wide pity they didn't include a separate cycle path.
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Enceladus
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Enceladus »

Here in Ireland our first green bridge is a “bat bridge” on the M18 between Ennius and Rathmorrissey. Car drivers on the motorway have reported odd swooshing noises when they drive under the bridge.
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Alderpoint
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Alderpoint »

Jim606 wrote: Wed Jul 25, 2018 22:22 Looks like a ridiculous shared space on the left with the red tarmac.
It's not a shared space, just a regular bit of road. Not sure why they used red tarmac.
Let it snow.
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Jim606
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Jim606 »

It's not a shared space, just a regular bit of road. Not sure why they used red tarmac
I didn't realise that we already had separate thread for the junction six rebuild viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32731 but, yes I am not sure either what's going on with the red tarmac?
Here in Ireland our first green bridge is a “bat bridge” on the M18 between Ennius and Rathmorrissey. Car drivers on the motorway have reported odd swooshing noises when they drive under the bridge.
Interesting to know that similar bridges are being built in Ireland https://greennews.ie/44587-2/ It's a pity they didn't include one on the M3 Tara route?
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Jim606
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by Jim606 »

I've updated the list, although it would be fair to say it isn't complete

2030? LTC Thong Lane green bridge and possibly Ockendon?
2025? A417 Missing Link Green bridge proposed for the Gloucestershire Way
2026? A303 Stonehenge x3 green bridges, one 110m cut and cover tunnel
2022? A30 Marazanvose on the Chiverton to Carland Cross dualling scheme

2017 A556 Knutsford to Bowden Improvement
2015 A4053 Coventry Ring Road Friargate green bridge deck
2015 A391 Carludden bypass, Cornwall
2011 A354 Ridgeway Green Bridge on the Weymouth Relief Road
2005 A21 Lamberhurst Bypass / Scotney Castle green bridge
2002 A12 Wansted (175m) and George Green (300m) cut and cover tunnels
1999 A11 Mile End Park, East London
1990s A299 Chestfield cut and cover tunnel (315m)
1993 A1203 Limehouse Link some sections with greenery above
1984 M25 Bell Common (450m) & Holmesdale (670m) cut and cover
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Re: Green land-bridges

Post by B1040 »

Then there are a lot of disused railway bridges which have effectively become green bridges over or under roads.
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