• April 29, 2011

FCBC Joint venture including American Bridge International awarded main contract for the new Forth Replacement Crossing in Scotland.

Coraopolis, PA – American Bridge International announced that an international joint venture of which it is part has signed the main contract with the Scottish Ministers for design and construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC), which comprises a bridge over Firth of Forth in Scotland and the road connection immediately north and south of the 2.7 km bridge The contract is valued at £790M ($1.3 billion).

Following an 18-month competitive tender, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) were named preferred bidder for the design/build contract in mid-March of this year. In addition to American Bridge International (28% ownership), the FCBC joint venture comprises HOCHTIEF (28% leader), Dragados (28%), and Morrison Construction (16%). All four businesses have a solid record of successfully delivering major infrastructure schemes throughout the world and will jointly provide the full range of skills, resources and technical expertise for this complex project.

A major bridge crossing two ocean shipping and military navigation channels represents the main part of the contract. This bridge structure has an overall length of 2.7 km, including a cable stay structure of 2,020m (world’s second longest). The two main navigation spans are 650m each (world’s sixth longest). The bridge has 14 spans, three concrete towers in the center of the transverse cross section up to 210m in height, two planes of stay cables that anchor in the center of the structure, and a composite steel tub/concrete deck superstructure. The north and south tower foundations are excavated caissons up to 40m below the water surface, and the central tower is a direct foundation on a rock outcropping. The cable stay bridge superstructure will be erected mainly by deck mounted gantries. The South approach viaduct will be launched from land, and the north viaduct will be pushed from the water. Construction will begin in 2011 and be complete in 2016.

American Bridge Company was founded in 1900, and specializes in the construction of complex structures and marine works. The company has participated in the construction of thousands of major bridges around the world.

“We are immensely pleased to have won this major contract in a country famous for major bridges, and in association with our three outstanding partners.” said Michael Cegelis, Executive Vice President of American Bridge International. “It is a complex and iconic structure that will fully demand our unique technology.”