Last night, the A46 Kenilworth Bypass was reopened to traffic after a major closure to allow HS2 engineers to position a 14,500-tonne concrete box structure beneath the road.

The road was opened 30 hours ahead of schedule after the box was placed.

This addition will allow high-speed trains to pass under the dual carriageway on their approach to the new Interchange station near the NEC.

The project included demolition of the old road and an excavation of 35,000 cubic metres of earth and sandstone to make space for the structure.

The positioning took around 10 hours using a jacking mechanism called Autoripage. It took 15 jacks to precisely place the box.

There are over 200 bridges and viaducts along the new railway, which will improve journeys across the West Midlands, London and the North. It will free up the mainline for local service and freight to run more freely.

Designers chose a box structure that was built in January alongside the road to avoid any speed restrictions and lane closures, which could’ve lasted two years if they had opted for a traditional bridge.

Once in place, the embankment which supports the road was reconstructed, and the new carriageway was put in place.

One lane on either side of the road will be closed until the 31st July 2025 to allow for the completion of the wingwalls and central reservation.

“It’s amazing to see the A46 box in position and I’d like to thank everyone who’s worked so hard to get the road open early. This record-breaking slide could not have been achieved without the years of meticulous planning and preparation that the team put in, working closely with our supply chain and National Highways.

“While the vast majority of the bridge is now complete, we’ve still got a few weeks’ of lane closures to finish the central reservation and wingwalls – and I’d like to thank drivers in advance for their patience during these works.”

Cameron Thompson, HS2 Ltd’s Head of Delivery