Transforming delivery of Water Street Bridge abutment in London, UK through innovation

This paper describes the innovative temporary works used for abutment construction of a moveable bridge in London’s Docklands. Completed in 2019, the 27 m span Water Street Bridge and its approach causeway connect the Canary Wharf estate to the new Wood Wharf development on a reclaimed island site. Using strand-jacking, grout-bag seals, heavy temporary steelwork and innovative use of permanent works, the contractor-designed solution for delivering the bascule span abutment transformed a marine operation into a land-based one. The challenging logistics required careful planning and collaboration with all stakeholders to meet the programme and client brief, ensuring a safe, high-quality outcome.