Balfour Beatty wins M3 contract

The UK’s Highways Agency has appointed Balfour Beatty for a £129 million (€163 million) scheme to upgrade a 21.5km stretch of the M3 through Hampshire and Surrey to a smart motorway.

The upgrade is designed to increase capacity, reduce congestion and shorten journey times for the 120,000 motorists who pass through this part of the network every day.

The M3 between Junction 2 (interchange with the M25) and Junction 4a (Fleet) will be upgraded to a four-lane motorway by converting the hard shoulder to a permanent running lane. Electronic signs, operated by a regional control centre, will be installed to manage the flow of traffic in response to driving conditions.

Construction is expected to start in the autumn and is scheduled for completion in spring 2017. Balfour Beatty will be responsible for all construction activities, including the installation and refurbishment of gantries, new static and variable signs, concrete safety barriers, drainage and surfacing works.

Balfour Beatty’s design will also take into account ecological considerations as the M3 passes through Chobham Common, one of the largest areas of heathland in Surrey.