MEC were commissioned by Bromford Developments Ltd to provide technical support for the delivery of a 34-home residential development at Redditch Road, Hopwood. As part of the planning requirements, improvements to the existing highway network were needed to provide safe access to the site, including modifications to the existing roundabout under a Section 278 (S278) agreement.
Our Civils team were commissioned by Bromford Developments to deliver a section 278 highway package design which involved designing off-site highway improvements to provide safe access to the development while complying with the requirements of the local highway authority and the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB).
The design consisted of a detailed vertical design of the roundabout and the 2D geometry to suit to ensure the design and deflection was in accordance with relevant standards (DMRB), a detailed Advanced Directional Signage design, a vehicle swept path analysis, construction details, and drainage designs. This was accompanied by an onsite S38/ S104 design.
Supporting the design process, our Geomatics team carried out topographical and underground utility surveys to provide the essential site information, while our Transport team undertook the pavement design calculations and prepared a technical note to demonstrate the proposed highway construction met the required standards.
A key aspect of the project involved addressing technical comments raised by both the council and Jacobs Engineering Service during the review process. This required careful assessment of the feedback, updating multiple drawings, and ensuring all revisions complied with DMRB guidance and local authority requirements.
One of the main engineering challenges was demonstrating that larger vehicles could safely manoeuvre around the proposed new traffic island while maintaining appropriate vehicle paths through the junction. This involved refining the junction geometry and carrying out swept path analysis to confirm that the design could accommodate the required design vehicles without compromising highway safety or operational efficiency.
Further amendments included updates to road markings, signage, visibility requirements, and traffic calming features to satisfy review comments and ensure the scheme met all technical requirements before resubmission.
Working collaboratively as a team, we successfully revised the design package to address all comments received from the council, Jacobs Engineering Service and the Road Safety Audit. Through the combined efforts of our team, the final design satisfied the relevant DMRB requirements and local authority expectations, allowing the scheme to progress through the S278 approval process.
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