Ground Exploration For Proposed New Tyne Crossing
A contract to excavate a series of bore holes and trial pits in Jarrow to assess ground conditions for the proposed new Tyne crossing, has been awarded to Allied Exploration & Geotechnics Ltd of Chester le Street by the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority.
Work is expected to commence week beginning 29 May.
In total there will be some 30 bore holes and 50 trial pits located in areas immediately above, and next to, the suggested route of the tunnel and also within the bed of the River Tyne. The total project - which also takes in Howdon on the north side of the river - will take about five weeks.
The bore holes, which will be aproximately 4 ins in diameter and some 15 to 40 metres in depth, will be excavated using a drilling rig. Each hole will take two to five days to complete. The trial pits will be two to five metres deep and will usually be dug in one day.
Phil Hall of engineering consultants Arup, which is leading the project, said: "The ground excavation will cover a broad area and will not be confined just to the proposed site of the tunnel. From an engineering and construction viewpoint it is important that we have an understanding not just of the ground that is to be excavated for the tunnel but also that which is next door to it.
We are most anxious that residents - who believed they were not in the line of the tunnel - do not suddenly think that the plans have changed. This is not the case."
Samples taken from the bore holes will be sent to a laboratory and tested and will provide important information that will help in the design and planning of the tunnel.
Phil Hall added: 'We can assure residents and business people that we will keep any disruption and noise to an absolute minimum and we shall also ensure that the safety of the public is top of our agenda. However, the public must also play their part and we would ask parents to keep their children away from machinery that will be on site."