Shaw Contracting (Aust) Pty Ltd is a leader in Tasmania’s road construction, dam building, irrigation, civil infrastructure and mining industries.
The company boasts a workforce of over 100 highly skilled and motivated people both directly and by subcontract. Based in Launceston in Northern Tasmania, Shaw has operations located across the State.
At Shaw, we believe that the strength of our company is the combined talent, commitment and operational effectiveness of our employees. Shaw’s expertise and multi-skilled workforce enables the business to manage the most challenging of projects, delivering consistently on time and to the highest of standards.
ABOUTFeature Project
East Tamar Highway Mowbray Connector Roundabout
Completed September 2020
Shaw Contracting Pty Ltd (Aust) were engaged by the Department of State Growth to improve an existing T intersection into a dual lane roundabout. This was to be completed while the site was under traffic.
VIEW PROJECTProject Profile
East Tamar Highway Mowbray Connector Roundabout
Completed September 2020
Tasks
Works undertaken included:
- Remediation and realignment of significant stormwater structures influenced by the Tamar River;
- Realignment of the road network from a T intersection to a dual lane roundabout;
- Remediation and improvement of various subgrades noting the poor floodplain nature of much of the material;
- Realignment and installation of a new street light configuration noting potential for future upgrades to accommodate traffic lights;
- Provision of over 13,100m2 of asphalt seal in a heavily trafficked zone; and
- Provision of new access arrangement for the Launceston Grammar School including extended driveway and associated stormwater improvements.
Challenges
There were significant challenges which were successfully overcome:
- Traffic Management was a significant challenge for the site noting approximately 30,000 vehicles per day traversed the site. It was also complicated by the multiple traffic management schemes that were required to maintain traffic through the site while completing the works.
- The central location of the project to Launceston meant, there were many stakeholders impacted by the works including peak hour travel, oversize vehicles (windfarm components) and traffic from other construction sites. The construction site needed to be flexible to accommodate these users including reduced work hours. Further to this, there were a significant number of services present within the limits of work of the project requiring additional stakeholder engagement (namely a high-pressure gas main, a 110kV underground cable and fibre optic lines within the road reserve). During the construction time, COVID-19 also appeared which affected the site and ability to complete.
- The high traffic numbers also presented a general stakeholder management risk. Shaw engaged a successful stakeholder management strategy which resulted in far fewer responses from the public than previously anticipated.
- The works were completed adjacent the Tamar River. While the works did not extend into the river, the river did impact on the work because of tidal influence. Subgrade conditions were significantly deteriorated from original concepts and the design needed to be amended in consultation with Shaw a number of times to accommodate poor conditions.
Outcome
Shaw Contracting are proud of the outcome of the design and construct project for the Department of State Growth and the local community. The innovative design solution has resulted in our ability to deliver the project during the wetter months of the year which would not normally have been achievable with a typical pavement design.
