Access Engineering begins work as sub-contractor for Gatembe flyover

Access Engineering PLC, the pioneers in flyover construction in Sri Lanka, was recently awarded the sub-contract to construct a flyover at the Gatambe junction, a permanent solution to lessen the heavy traffic congestion at the Gatambe junction in Peradeniya.

The Gatambe junction is located literally in Peradeniya between Peradeniya and Kandy and Old Peradeniya Kandy Road (A1) and New Peradeniya Kandy Road (AB42 - William Gopallawa Mawatha) cross at this junction. In addition, there is a railway level crossing on William Gopallawa Mawatha just passing the junction towards the Kandy city.

According to the studies conducted, the insufficient road capacity to endure the increasing traffic levels in the area, inefficient control and safety systems adopted for level crossings and insufficient mobility management attempts have contributed to an influx in traffic congestion in the area.

As a solution to ease off the traffic congestion at the Gatambe junction, the Road Development Authority proposed to erect a flyover at the junction. 

The proposed flyover will consist of two parts, a main flyover along the AB42 road and a branch flyover from the AB42 road to the A1 road to the Peradeniya direction. 

The main flyover shall be 396.7 metres in length, with a minimum vertical clearance of six metres over the railway and 5.2 metres over the road and it will comprise a two-lane carriageway. 

The branch flyover shall be 432.4 metres long and it will comprise a single lane carriageway. The project scope includes the necessary improvements to the junction and service roads to facilitate turning movements and through traffic along the A1 road direction.

The project is funded by the Government of Hungary and the design and supply of the superstructures are entrusted to Betonútépítő Group of Hungary, which plays the role of the main contractor and the design and construction of substructure, on-site fabrication, designing and construction of adjacent roads and installation and erection of the steel superstructure are subcontracted to Access Engineering PLC. 

The official groundbreaking ceremony of the project on June 7, 2021, saw the opening of a plaque and the event was attended online via the Zoom technology by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa from Temple Trees.