3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

3.1 General

The Port Louis conurbation, is currently experiencing severe morning and afternoon
traffic congestion, estimated to cost the Mauritian economy around Rs 2 billion annually.

The Road Development Authority (RDA), Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land
Transport of the Government of Mauritius is thus implementing a Road Decongestion
Programme, entailing the establishment of a network of roads, in order to alleviate the
severe traffic congestion being experienced along the Port Louis-Curepipe corridor and
around Port Louis itself.

The Government of Mauritius (GOM) has set a high priority for development of road
infrastructure to support the achieved and planned pace of economic growth. The main
focus is set on the National Road Decongestion Programme to provide an effective
approach of decongestion of the road network in Mauritius.

The whole extent of Port Louis to St Jean Road (A1) is heavily congested throughout the
day and traffic jam reach an unbearable level during peak hours. Severe traffic
congestion occurs along the M1 Motorway from Caudan waterfront through the M2
Motorway towards Quay D and Mer Rouge Roundabouts, especially during peak times.
Also, the traffic volume of the inner roads in Port Louis City has been largely exceeded
its capacity and acute traffic jams occur during business hours, especially in the vicinity
of Place d'Armes.

Therefore, in order to ease the traffic congestion, a re-design of the Pont Fer, Jumbo and
Dowlut Roundabouts as part of the Road Decongestion Programme (RDP) has been
prioritised.

The proposed project has been selected based on the recommendations of traffic
modelling performed by KEC whose parameters are considered to remain valid as well
as the following parameters:

 Function
 Cost
 Constructability
 Social Impact
 Environmental Impact
 Maintenance.

The project description, as given in this chapter, are extracts from the Front End
Engineering Design Report (FEED) prepared by KEC.

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3.1 Project Description

3.1.1 Project Location

The Grade Separated Junctions (GSJ) involving three roundabouts at Pont Fer, Jumbo
and Dowlut display typical characteristics of the downtown road and are located in the
heart of the busiest downtown area in Mauritius. The Sodnac Link Road provides a
direct connection from the town of Quatre Bornes to the Phoenix Mall, Offices, Industrial
Zone in the Pont Fer area and on a broader scale to the M1 motorway in the Southern
direction.
The Current Traffic Volume witnesses more than 50,000 vehicles/day. Whereas
according to international standards a daily traffic volume of 25,000 vehicles/day is
recommended for a 2 lane roundabout. Accordingly, severe traffic congestion is
observed at Pont Fer and Jumbo Roundabouts.
3.1.2 Main Line Carriageways
The M1 Motorway at Phoenix Roundabout is a dual carriageway with 6 lanes to
northbound and dual carriage way with 4 lanes to southbound.
The B63 road from Jumbo Roundabout, is a dual carriageway with 4 lanes.
As a method for relieving the congestion around Pont Fer roundabout, one lane as an
independent road is currently in operation for Airport bound from Port Louis and Port
Louis bound from Vacoas.
3.1.3 Roundabouts Concerned
The distances between the Roundabouts are:
(1) 500m between Pont Fer and Dowlut.
(2) 350m between Pont Fer and Jumbo.

All 3 roundabouts; Pont Fer, Jumbo and Dowlut, have 2 lanes in operation. The close
proximity between the roundabouts increases the traffic congestion from one intersection
to the other.
3.1.4 Operation of Pont Fer Roundabout
The Pont Fer Roundabout operates with 2 lanes. However, the single lane as an
independent road for Airport bound from Port Louis adds an additional lane to the part of
the roundabout. This results in a partial 3 lane operation, which then requires the
approaching traffic into the factory area to turn and cut across 3 lanes simultaneously.
This raises an alarm in the road safety and seeks an immediate remediation.

3.2 Brief Project Description

The proposed project consists of the following:

 Construction of the Pont Fer viaduct which is shown schematically in Figure 3-1
 Improvement of the Jumbo viaduct alignment on B63 road which is shown
schematically in Figure 3-2

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  Improvement to the existing 3 legs intersection at Jumbo Roundabout as shown in
Figure 3-3
 Improvement of the alignment of the ramp at Dowlut Roundabout as shown in
Figure 3-4
 A new link road from, Swami Baktivedanta Road (Sodnac Link Road) B94 to
Phoenix-Beau Songes Road B130 as shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-1: Proposed Pont Fer Viaduct Figure 3-2: Proposed Jumbo Viaduct

Figure 3-3: Proposed 3-leg Intersection at Figure 3-4: Alignment of Ramp at Dowlut
Jumbo Roundabout

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 Overall, the project is as shown schematically Figure 3-5.

The context of the proposed project is shown in Drawing M191/GSJ/EV/LA/02.

Figure 3-5: Overall Proposed Improvement.

Through the proposed Road Decongestion Programme the RDA expects to meet,
amongst others, the following objectives:

 To provide efficient and effective transport services in support of development,

business, trade, tourism and production sectors of the economy
 To reduce vehicle operating costs, travel time costs and road maintenance costs
 To reduce traffic congestion on the existing motorways by:
 providing increased road capacity and bypass alternatives to Port Louis;
 responding to traffic growth by future expansion of road capacity; and
 implementation of suitable and effective traffic congestion management
procedures
 To reduce traffic accidents and enhance road safety.

3.3 Proposed Works and Road Design

The key components of the proposed works include the following:

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  Improvement of entrance and exit for industrial area on Pont Fer Roundabout
 Improvement of Pont Fer viaduct alignment on M1 Motorway
 Improvement of the Jumbo viaduct alignment on B63 road
 Change of the existing Jumbo Roundabout to 3 legs intersection
 Improvement of alignment of the ramp at Dowlut Roundabout
 Diversion and protection of all affected utility services, cables, etc.
 Construction and installation of all required ancillary buildings, offices and road
furniture
 Construction of additional lane at Pont Fer and extension of culvert at River Mesnil
will entail the following:
 Temporary diversion of existing river flow to proceed with construction works
 Realignment of existing river to original alignment.

The road design involves the following main fields, amongst others:

 Geometric design
 Pavement design
 Bridge
 Geotechnical engineering
 Traffic analysis.

The following sections 3.4 to 3.7 have been extracted from the FEED Report produced
by KEC in association with Cheil Engineering Co. Ltd. and Kyongdong Engineering .Co
Ltd.

3.4 Geometric Design

As a basic element of the road design, the road design standard should be based on
various factors: function of roads, traffic and site conditions, geological and geotechnical
conditions, social environmental and economic factors.

According to the design standard stipulated in the Contract Agreement between RDA
and KEC (signed on 25 Nov., 2016), all design fields will basically follow local standards
and AASHTO standards. The Consultant will comply with the followings as reference
standards in the order of priority listed below, unless otherwise specified.

 Local standards
 AASHTO Standard, 2011, AASHTO, USA(Design Standard for the Project)
 Design Manual for Road and Bridges Volume 6, 2015, British Standard, UK
 Road Design Standard, 2012, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport,
Republic of Korea

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  South African Pavement Engineering Manual Second Edition, 2014, - The South
African National Road Agency
 Southern African Transport and Communications Commission,1998, - The division
of Roads and Transport Technology.

3.4.1 Road Classifications

According to the Road Traffic (Speed) Regulations 2011 of Mauritius, the roads in
Mauritius are classified into four categories: Motorway, A roads, B roads, and Un-rated
roads.

Regarding the road classification for the project, the RDA informed that all RDP projects
would normally consist of 'A Class' road. Based on this information, the project road
sections to be newly constructed are classified as 'A road' while current classifications
remain the same for the existing roads subject to upgrade. The road classifications for
each section of the Grade Separated Junction at Pont Fer-Jumbo-Dowlut (GSJ) are as
follows:

Table 3-1 below shows road classification according to the AASHTO Manual.

Table 3-1 - Road Classification on Project road

Local AASHTO
Project Road Standard,2011
Classification

M1 Motorway Motorway Freeway

A10 Road A road Arterial

Grade
Separated B63 Road B road Arterial
Junction Sodnac Link
B road Arterial
Road(B94)

3.4.2 Design Speeds

The Road Traffic (Speed) Regulations 2011 provided by the RDA defines the maximum
speed ranges by road classification and vehicle type as follows:

 Motorway : 80 ~ 110 km/h

 A road : 60 ~ 80 km/h
 B road : 40 ~ 60 km/h.

Considering operating speed limit on the A1 road, the design speed of the A1-M1 Link
Road is decided as 60km/h. The adopted design speed of the existing roads to be
improved in the Grade Separated Junctions at Pont Fer / Jumbo / Dowlut Roundabouts
ranges from 60 km/h to 80 km/h as shown in Table 3-2. In the selection of design
speeds for existing road upgrades, the traffic and site conditions as well as function of
each road were taken into consideration.

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 Table 3-2 - Adopted Design Speeds of the Grade Separated Junctions
Design Speed
Component (km/h) Remark

M1 Motorway (Viaduct) 80
M1 Motorway (Frontage
40
Road)
Existing Road
A10 Road (Viaduct) 40 Upgrades
A10 Connector Road 30
B63 Road (Viaduct) 60

Sodnac Link Road (B94) 60 Alternative Route

Note 1: For the design speed of a connector road, 50km/h is adopted for direct ramps
while 40km/h is adopted for loops in the FEED report.

3.4.3 Intersections

(a) Profiles

In selecting locations of intersections, it is generally not desirable to locate intersections in

excess of 3 percent grade. Where conditions make such designs too expensive, grades
should not exceed about 6 percent, with a corresponding adjustment in specific geometric
design elements.

In the case of locating roundabouts on grades, grades steeper than 4 percent are not
recommended in the roundabouts (An Informational Guide by FHWA).

(b) Intersection Sight Distances

The general considerations are as follows:

 Sight distance is provided at intersections to allow drivers to perceive the presence

of potentially conflicting vehicles. This should occur in sufficient time for a motorist
to stop or adjust their speed, as appropriate, to avoid colliding in the intersection

 The intersection will be designed according to stopping sight distance and

intersection sight distance by each design speed, considering sight triangles as
skewed intersections.

(c) Intersection Controls

 Intersections with traffic signal control (Jumbo Roundabout)

 Jumbo Roundabout is considered to change from roundabout to three-leg signalized
intersection in consideration of the Metro Express plan. In the design of intersection,
the sufficient sight distance for the right-turning will be given if the site condition is
allowed.

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3.4.4 Design Surveys

Specific surveys carried out included:

 A topographical survey to determine the elevation along the road alignment and to
facilitate the production of accurate topographical maps
 Soil investigations
 An investigation of the natural and man-made drainage in order to determine the
direction of flow
 An investigation of services and utilities in the area
 Traffic surveys including traffic volume, OD (Origin & Destination) and Speed and
Delay studies
 An economic analysis with vehicle operating costs
 A road furniture study.

For the Front- End Engineering Design (FEED) stage, the topographical survey covers
the following:

a) Ground Control Survey- Trigonometric networks connecting to the national survey

control points, polygon networks, Benchmarks setting at appropriate intervals.
b) Levelling along centreline at 25m intervals for longitudinal profiles.
c) Cross-section levelling at 200m intervals. Cross sections are to cover at least 50m
on either side of proposed centreline or up to the land acquisition limit whichever is
greater.
d) The survey shall cover the location from the centreline of physical features like
buildings, monuments, posts, pipe, existing roads and railways lines, stream/river
crossings, cross drainage structures, land use etc. that are likely to affect the road
construction works.
e) Topographic Mapping:- drawing scale; 1:1000 for general route alignment, and
others as necessary, Contour line interval; 1.0m for scale 1:1000 maps, and 0.5m
for scale 1:500 maps.

For the Detailed Design stage, the topographical surveys covered the following:

a) Cross-section levelling at 25m intervals. Cross sections are to cover at least 50m
either side of proposed centre line or up to the land acquisition limit whichever is
greater;
b) Underground surveys and consultations with relative institutions regarding relocation
of existing utilities (both of underground and ground) and data acquisition.

3.5 Typical Cross Sections

The elements of the cross section of a road are, mainly, the carriageway, the shoulder,
and the median strip. The width of the lanes, which consists of the carriageway,
changes depending on the design speeds (road classifications) and significantly

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 influences the traffic capacity. It would be rational to determine the road width based on
the design speed and the volume of the traffic. The condition of the existing roads and
the location conditions should also be taken into account.

The decisions on the cross section design elements were based on the existing roads
and rights-of-way, the existing developments as well as the AASHTO Design Standards
- A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 2011.

3.5.1 Review of Cross Section Elements

The following cross section elements were reviewed:

 Width of lane
 Width of shoulder
 Median Strip
 Sidewalks.

3.5.2 Lane Widths - Pont Fer / Jumbo / Dowlut Roundabouts

According to the AASHTO Design Standards, lane widths of 2.7 to 3.6m are generally
used, with 3.6m lane predominant on most high-speed, high-volume highways. Lane
widths of 3.6m are used on freeways and rural and urban arterials roadways.
In urban areas where pedestrian crossings, rights-of-way, or existing developments
become stringent controls on lane widths, the use of 3.3m lanes may be appropriate as
per AASHTO recommendations. Lanes 3.0 m wide are acceptable on low-speed
facilities, and lanes 2.7 m wide may be appropriate on low-volume roads in rural areas.
Based on the site survey results, the lane widths were measured ranging from 3.3m to
3.65m wide on the M1, A10 and B63 roads which need to be adjusted in consideration of
narrow road condition for road widening.
Therefore, it is considered appropriate to set the lane widths as 3.5m for this project,
considering the site constraints such as narrow existing roads due to road widening, and
the reduction of encroachment of the river and the buildings.

Figure 3-6: Satellite Image of Pont Fer - Jumbo - Dowlut Roundabouts

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3.5.3 Shoulder Widths

According to AASHTO Design Standards, a minimum shoulder width of 0.6m is

considered for low-volume highways and 1.8m to 2.4m shoulder width is preferable. A
minimum shoulder width of 3.0m wide and preferably 3.6m wide are recommended for
high-speed highways.

Considering the road passes through an area which is heavily populated with obstacles
and in order to minimize any contacts with obstacles on right side of the roads, a
minimum width of shoulder ranging from 0.6m to 1.0m was applied required for the
minimum width of gutter. The outer shoulder widths ranging from 1.0m to 2.5m are to be
used for M, A, and B roads in consideration of the restrictive site conditions.

3.5.4 Median Strips

Median width is defined as the width between edges of the travelled way for the
roadways in opposing directions of travel, including the width of the right shoulders.

Most median widths are in the range from 1.2m to 24.0m according to AASHTO Design
Standard but median width can be limited in consideration of economic factors and the
features of the project site.

The median width of ranging from 2.0m to 3.0m will be reflected in consideration of a
restrictive site condition such as viaduct for the Grade Separated Junction at three
roundabouts. The median width of 3.0m will be applied for the A1-M1 Link Road, which
is the minimum width of a median strip for a road to install lighting poles and sign boards.

3.5.5 Sidewalks

Sidewalk widths in residential areas vary from 1.2m to 2.4m. Sidewalks less than 1.5m in
width require the addition of a passing section every 60m for accessibility.

3.5.6 Applied Cross Sections

KEC- CHEIL- Kyongdong set the cross section elements of the project based on the
review and the comparison of each design elements defined in the three design
standards as well as road measurements through the site surveys: AASHTO-2011
(U.S.), DMRB Vol.6- 2015 (UK), and RDS-2012 (Korea) standards refer.

Grade Separated Junctions comprise the M1, A10, B63 and B94 roads and their cross
section elements and typical cross sections are as follows:

(a) Typical Cross Section for M1 Motorway – as shown in Figure 3-7.

(b) The typical cross section for M1 Motorway (STA.0+000~STA.0+135) as shown in

Figure 3-8.

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Table 3-3 - Typical Cross Section (M1) – Duel Carriageway with 3 to 4 Lanes in each Direction

Northbound Southbound
Paved Outer Paved Outer
Lane Median Lane
Shoulder Shoulder

1.0 m 43.5=14.0 m 3.5m 3@3. 5=10.5 1.0 m

Total Width : 30.7m(VAR.)

Figure 3-7: Typical Cross Section (M1 Motorway)

(a) Typical Cross Section for M1 Motorway and M1 Frontage Road

The typical cross section for the M1 Motorway and the M1 Frontage Road is as
follows:

Table 3-4 - Typical Cross Section (M1) - Duel Carriageway with 2 Lanes in each Direction

Northbound Southbound
Paved Outer Paved Outer
Lane Median Lane
Shoulder Shoulder
1.0 m [email protected]=7.0 m 2.0 m 2@3. 5=7.0 m 1.0 m
Total Width : 18.0 m

Table 3-5 - Typical Cross Section (M1 Frontage Road)

Northbound Southbound
Paved Paved Paved Paved
Lane Lane
Outer Inner Inner Outer
1.0 m [email protected]=10.5 m 1.0 m 1.0 m 2@3. 5=7.0 1.0 m
Total Width : 21.5 m

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 Figure 3-8: Typical Cross Section (M1 Motorway and M1 Frontage Roads)

(b) Typical Cross Section for the M1 Motorway (STA.0+801~STA.1+355)

Table 3-6 - Typical Cross Section (M1) - Duel Carriageway with 3 Lanes in each Direction

Northboun Southboun
Paved Outer d d Paved Outer
Lane Median Lane
Shoulder Shoulder
2.5 m [email protected]=10.5 m 2.0 m 3@3. 5=10.5 m 1.5 m
Total Width : 27.0 m

Figure 3-9: Typical Cross Section (M1 Motorway)

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 (c) Typical Cross Section for Dowlut Ramp-1, 2 of A10 Road and A10 Connector Road

Table 3-7 - Typical Cross Section (A10) - One-way Ramp with 1 Lane

One Direction
Paved Outer Shoulder Lane Paved Inner Shoulder
1.5~5.8 m 3.5 m 1.5 m
Total Width : 6.5 m~10.8m

Table 3-8 - Typical Cross Section (A10 Connector Road)

One Direction
Sidewalk Paved Outer Shoulder Lane Paved Inner Shoulder
1.5 m 1.0 m 3.5 m 1.0 m
Total Width : 7.0 m

Typical cross section for Dowlut Ramp-1 of A10 and A10 connector road is as follows:

Figure 3-10: Typical Cross Section (Dowlut Ramp-1of A10 and A10 Connector Road)

Typical cross section for Dowlut Ramp-2 of A10 is as follows:

Figure 3-11: Typical Cross Section (Dowlut Ramp-2 of A10 Road)

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 (d) Typical Cross Section for Sayed Hossen B63 Road and B63 Frontage Road

Figure 3-12: Typical Cross Section for Sayed Hossen B63 Road and B63 Frontage Road

Table 3-9 - Typical Cross Section (B63) - One-way with 2 Lanes

One Direction
Paved Outer Shoulder Lane Paved Inner Shoulder
1.0 m 2@3. 5=7.0 m 1.0 m
Total Width : 9.0

Table 3-10 - Typical Cross Section (B63 Frontage Road) - Duel Carriageway with 2 Lanes in Each
Direction

Northbound Southbound

Paved Paved Outer Shoulder

Sidewal Lane Median Lane
Outer
k
Shoulder
1.5 m 1.0m [email protected]=7. 3.0 m 2@3. 1.0 m
0m 5=7.0 m

Total Width: 20.5m

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 (e) Typical Cross Section for Sodnac Link Road
Table 3-11 - Typical Cross Section - Sodnac Link Road

Northbound Southbound

Paved Outer Paved Outer

Lane Median Lane
Shoulder Shoulder

1.5 m 3.5 m - 3.5 1.5 m

Total Width : 10.0 m

Figure 3-13: Typical Cross Section - Sodnac Link Road

(f) Typical Cross Section for B130 Road

Table 3-12 - Typical Cross Section (B130) - Two-Way with 2 Lanes in Each Direction

Northbound Southbound
Paved Outer Paved Outer
Sidewalk Lane Median Lane Sidewalk
Shoulder Shoulder
1.5 m 1.0m [email protected]=6.5 m 1.7 m [email protected]=6.5 m 1.0 m 1.5m
Total Width : 19.7 m

Figure 3-14: Typical Cross Section (B130 Road)

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3.6 Pavement Design

3.6.1 Design Standards

The design manuals, standards and guidance documents that have been used in the
development of the pavement design are as follows:

a) AASHTO guide for the design of pavement structures (DOPS) 1986, 1993 and
supplementary guide to the design of pavement structures 1998
b) Guidelines for 1993 AASHTO Pavement Design Virginia Department of
Transportation 2003
c) Highways Capacity Manual (2000) National Research Council
d) Recalibration of the Asphalt Layer Coefficient, NCAT Final Report 09-03, 2009
e) Material Properties of the 2003 NCAT Test Track Structural Study, NCAT Report
06-01, 2006.

The primary function of a pavement is to provide a suitable running surface and remain
serviceable for the anticipated traffic expected over the design life. The overall traffic
loading is therefore a key element of the pavement design process.

The road and interchange pavement design is based on traffic forecasts for 20 years.
Traffic growth from 2020 to 2039 as the basic years were used for the pavement design
calculation.

3.6.2 Design Life

The pavement structure is designed for a life of 20 years after the opening of the road
which is currently planned for 2019. The performance period is the length of time the
initial pavement should last before it requires major rehabilitation and therefore has
deteriorated from its initial serviceability level to its terminal serviceability level. No major
rehabilitation is planned prior to 2039. Therefore, the performance period is 20 years.

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3.6.3 Grade Separated Junction Pavement Types

In this section, the four main types of pavement structures are described in the following
tables :

1) Type A: Port Louis to Pont Fer Roundabout Section (Type A)

Table 3-13 - Pavement Layers for Port Louis to Pont Fer Roundabout Section

Thickness Total SN
Categories Description (mm) provided
(mm)

Layer 1 HMA Surface Course 50

Layer 2 HMA Intermediate Course 60

Layer 3 Asphaltic Concrete Base Course 100

Asphalt sub-total thickness 210 3.244

Crushed Subbase Course
Layer 4 220
(with CBR 80%)

Total Pavement Thickness 430 4.457

2) Type B: Pont Fer to Jumbo Roundabout Section

Table 3-14 - Pavement Layers for Pont Fer to Jumbo Roundabout (Type B)

Thickness Total SN
Categories Description (mm) provided
(mm)
Layer 1 HMA Surface Course 50

Layer 2 HMA Intermediate Course 60

Layer 3 Asphaltic Concrete Base Course 100

Asphalt sub-total thickness 210 3.244

Crushed Subbase Course

Layer 4 200
(with CBR 80%)

Total Pavement Thickness 410 4.346

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 3) Type C: Pont Fer to Dowlut Roundabout Section

Table 3-15 - Pont Fer to Dowlut Roundabout (Type C)

Thickness Total SN
Categories Description
(mm) (mm) provide
Layer 1 HMA Surface Course 50

Layer 2 HMA Intermediate Course 60

Layer 3 Asphaltic Concrete Base Course 100

Asphalt sub-total thickness 210 3.244

Crushed Subbase Course (with

Layer 4 190
CBR 80%)

Total Pavement Thickness 400 4.291

4) Type D: Sodnac Link Road Section

Table 3-16 - Pavement Layers for Type D

Thickness Total SN
Categories Description (mm) (mm) provided
Layer 1 HMA Surface Course 50

Layer 2 HMA Intermediate Course 60

Layer 3 Asphaltic Concrete Base Course 100

Asphalt sub-total thickness 210 3.244

Crushed Subbase Course (with

Layer 4 150
CBR 80%)

Total Pavement Thickness 360 4.071

3.7 Bridges

Three road bridges are planned over three roundabouts at the Grade Separated
Junctions.

3.7.1 Bridge Locations and Surrounding Conditions

The locations of bridges at the grade separated junctions are as shown in Figure 3-14
and the list of bridges is given in Table 3-17.

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 Figure 3-15: Location of Bridges at Grade Separated Junctions

Table 3-17 - Details of Bridges at Grade Separated Junctions

Bridge Bridge Composition of No. of

name Place type span length(m) Length(m) Lanes Remark

Pont Fer Overpass the Pont Fer

BR1 Roundabout PSC I Girder 7@45=315 315 4 Roundabout
Overpass the Jumbo
BR2 Jumbo PSC I Girder 4@45=180 180 2 crossway
Dowlut
BR3 Ramp RC Rahmen 2@14=28 28 1 Overpass M1 Motorway
Total Sum 523 -

3.7.2 Investigation and Analysis of Site Conditions for Bridge Selection

The project area consists of three roundabouts at Pont Fer, Jumbo and Dowlut, in close
proximity from one another. They are surrounded by industrial, commercial and
residential areas, and their capacity has reached the saturation with heavy traffic flows
experienced especially during peak hours.

The Metro Express is planned to pass within a few meters of the Jumbo Roundabout.
The River Sèche and River Mesnil flow under the existing road at Pont Fer and Dowlut
Roundabouts. Utility lines such as communications, conduit tubes, water supply pipes
and sewage pipes are currently buried underground along the project roads.

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 Pont Fer Roundabout Existing Culvert

Figure 3-16: Pictures of Pont Fer Roundabout

Jumbo Roundabout Access Road To Shopping Mall

Figure 3-17: Pictures of Jumbo Roundabout

Dowlut Roundabout Existing Culvert

Figure 3-18: Pictures of Dowlut Roundabout

3.7.3 Geotechnical Survey

A total of five (5) boreholes investigations for the FEED phase were carried out at Grade
Separated Junctions. According to the results of the investigations, the composition of
strata is in order of silty clay/residual basalt, highly/completely weathered basalt and

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 moderately/slightly weathered basalt. The bearing layer such as moderately/slightly
weathered basalt for the bridge foundation was encountered on the range of 19.0m to
21.0m in depth below the ground level. Considering the depth of bearing layer by boring
investigations, a type of pile foundation is adopted for the bridge at Grade Separated
Junctions.

3.7.4 Construction Materials and Equipment Investigation

The Consultant has looked for locally available construction materials and equipment
that can be used for the construction. As Mauritius is an island, the procurement of the
required construction materials and equipment becomes an important factor to consider
compared to other countries.

Firstly, the main materials for the construction of this project are concrete, reinforcing
bars, steel and prestressing steel. Steel bridges, which are light in weight and have high
tensile strength, are commonly used in urban areas because of the application of curved
alignments and having a superior and longer span.

Had there been steelworks and a steel structure manufacturing plant in Mauritius, then a
diverse type of steel bridge could have been adopted. Unfortunately, supply of
steelwork is scarce in Mauritius and imported steel from another country will add extra
transportation costs and increase construction period. Sand and aggregate, which are
the raw materials used to make concrete, are readily available and concrete is widely
manufactured in Mauritius. However, cement, reinforcing bars and prestressing steel
cables have to be imported.

As for construction equipment, scaffolding & stage, cranes, form traveler and climbing
form are expected in place. 200T Cranes are available locally, however, more than 300T
cranes must be imported. Climbing forms or slip forms, which are required for
construction of an extradosed bridge would be also expected to be imported. The
quality of shoring available in Mauritius is relatively poor.

3.7.5 Design Standard for Bridge

The design standards of bridges are based on AASHTO-LRFD Bridge Design

Specifications.

3.7.6 Design Clearance

The vertical clearance of overpasses and underpasses is decided based on the road
categories and discussion with the local authorities.

Table 3-18 - Vertical Clearance for Roads

Category Vertical Clearance(m)

For M motorway, A road, B Road 5.00 m

For Pedestrian 2.50 m

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3.7.7 Pont Fer Viaduct: BR1

a) Site Conditions

The Pont Fer Roundabout is a three-leg interchange, which connects the M1 motorway
and B63 road, and the bridge planned at Pont Fer Roundabout will cross over the M1
motorway. The Pont Fer Roundabout has a complicated structure with a number of
access roads connecting the nearby industrial area as well as other inner roads, and
currently these suffer from heavy traffic flows throughout the day.

The main obstacles around Pont Fer Roundabout include the existing culvert and five
frontage roads including access roads. Also the Metro Express is planned to pass on
the left hand side of the project alignment.

The planned bridge is also surrounded by the Ministry of Education and Human
Resources and an industrial area.

b) Proposed Bridge Bridge Alignment, Size and Type

The horizontal alignment within the bridge consists of a straight line with 186m from the
beginning of the bridge, and a clothoid of 103m. The last 26m of the bridge consists of a
curve radius of 560m. This is shown in Figures 3-18 and 3-19.

The proposed bridge is planned to cross over the box culvert at the start of the bridge,
and has the total length of approximately 300m with a 6.0m-7.0m height retaining wall.
The location of the bridge is surrounded by commercial / industrial areas, which are
connected by a number of access roads as well as the frontage road leading to the main
road. Owing to the fact that the bridge will be a good distance from the nearest
pedestrians, the height of the retaining wall is not expected to intimidate anyone’s
viewpoint. However, in case the height of the retaining wall is less than 5m, then the
space below and between the side spans of the bridge is reduced to less than 2m. This
makes it difficult to utilize the space under the bridge and is less effective in terms of
giving a sense of openness.

Following the determination of the total length of the bridge the next step is to determine
the span of bridge and the bridge type. This bridge needs at least a 40m span in order
to secure the required clearance for the intersection underneath. Considering
constructability, economic efficiency, aesthetics, maintenance management as well as
securing minimum 40m span length, the Consultant reviewed the three alternatives
below.

The Consultant proposes a PSC Ι Girder bridge as Alternative 1. The construction of

this type of bridge can be done on site and the completed bridge can be simply erected
using a crane. Therefore, it has a huge advantage in constructability as the construction
period is shortened and the cost is low. However, the relatively thick depth of the girder
may create a poor aesthetics compared to other alternatives.

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 Figure 3-19: Plan of Pont Fer Viaduct: BR1

Figure 3-20: Profile of Pont Fer Viaduct: BR1

3.7.8 Jumbo Viaduct: BR2

a) Site Conditions

The existing Jumbo intersection is planned to change from a roundabout type to a

signalized 3-leg intersection, and the bridge is planned to be only for Port Louis
bound traffic with the aim of relieving the congestion on the B63 road. As the Jumbo
intersection under the bridge is a plane signalized intersection, it is critical to secure
the sight distance for the drivers turning left and right, and sidewalks for the users of
nearby Bus Station should be installed.

The Phoenix shopping mall is situated in the vicinity of the start of the bridge, and
the Metro Express is planned to pass through the narrow area on the left hand side
of B63 Road, resulting in unavoidable conflicts with the project alignment.

b) Proposed Bridge Alignment, Size and Type

The horizontal alignment within the bridge consists of straight line and a curve
radius of 500m. The bridge is situated at a gradient of (+)3.850%~ (-)6.150% on a
vertical curve. The road lanes consist of the total two lanes (one lane for each
direction) and the bridge width is 10m. This is shown in Figures 3-20 and 3-21.

The length of the bridge at the Jumbo intersection is planned in such a way that
there is sufficient clearance under the bridge for passing vehicles to secure the sight
distance at the start of the bridge and also for providing enough room for a bus

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 station (H=2.5m) at the end of the bridge. In this case, the retaining wall with height
of around 7.0m seems to be a little high. However, as both sides of the bridge are
surrounded by two lane roads and inner roads providing enough spatial margin, a
sense of intimidation from the high wall is expected to be low. The Consultant has
decided that the optimal length of the bridge should be 180m in consideration of
economic efficiency and constructability.

A minimum 45m span is required to secure clearance under the bridge even though
the piers are planned to be installed on the traffic island in the middle of the
interchange. In consideration of economic efficiency, constructability and
maintenance, the Consultant reviewed three alternatives.

The Consultant proposes PSC Ι Girder as Alternative 1. The thick depth of girder
gives poor aesthetics compared to other alternatives. However, the girder can be
manufactured at the time of construction of the substructure and placed using a
crane The construction period is therefore shortened and construction becomes
easier with the merit of economic efficiency and maintenance.

Figure 3-21: Plan of Jumbo Viaduct: BR2

Figure 3-22: Profile of Jumbo Viaduct: BR2

3.7.9 Dowlut Ramp Bridge: BR3

(a) Site Conditions

The Dowlut Roundabout, which connects the M1 motorway and the A10 road, is planned to
change to a grade separated interchange. The planned bridge crossing over M1 motorway

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 is planned on the proposed ramp road. The alignment of the ramp has a small curve radius
of 41m and widening of the road width that is required to secure the sight distance of
drivers, is a crucial point for bridge plan.

In the vicinity of the Dowlut Roundabout, the Mesnil river intersects with the road at two
locations resulting in another constraint to bridge design. As part of a graded separated
junction type, overpass and underpass proposals can be considered. For urban areas, an
underpass is generally preferred as this gives better aesthetics. However, due to the
location of the river at the Dowlut Roundabout, an underpass is not feasible.

(b) Proposed Bridge Alignment, Size and Type

The horizontal alignment consists of a curve radius of 41m. The bridge is situated in the
gradient of (+)9.990% ~ (-)3.647% at vertical curve. The road lanes consist of the total one
lane for one direction and the bridge width is variable with the range of from 11.7 to 15.2m.
This is shown in Figures 3-22 and 3-23.

The proposed bridge intersected with M1 motorway, which has the width of 18.0m, and the
intersecting angle between the two roads is 35 degrees. The width of the proposed bridge
varies between 20.4m and 12.5m. Therefore, minimum bridge length of 25m is required.

At start and end points of the bridge, an 8m height retaining wall is planned. The large
height of the retaining wall is unavoidable as the curve radius on the horizontal alignment is
already too small for installation of a bridge. Based on this, the Consultant has decided that
the optimal bridge length over the M1 motorway to be approximately 30m.

The location of the bridge has a very small curve radius of 41m. The intersecting angle of
35 degrees is too small as an acute angle of bridge, and the super elevation being 8% is
too high. Also, the vertical alignment has reached almost the maximum value of 10%. This
acts as a big constraint for deciding appropriate bridge type. Considering this constraint, the
Consultant reviewed two alternatives.

The Consultant proposes a Reinforced Concrete Rahmen Bridge as Alternative 1. This

type of bridge has a restriction to use the space underneath the bridge during the
construction period because it needs shoring, formwork, disposition of reinforced bars and
placing concrete on the curved bridge.

Fortunately, as it is situated in the centre of the roundabout, a diversion of the M1 motorway

is not required. This type of bridge can provide less driving safety than a single span bridge
because it is inevitable to install a pier in the median strip of M1 motorway. However, due
to the possibility of lowering the height of the bridge, a slim aesthetic look can be achieved
and it has high responsiveness to variable bridge width. The construction cost for this type
is low and maintenance is simple. The Consultant plans to widen the width of the bridge to
improve the acute angle and subsequently to increase the safety of the structure and its
constructability.

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 Figure 3-23: Plan of Dowlut Ramp Bridge: BR3

Figure 3-24: Profile of Dowlut Ramp Bridge: BR3

3.7.10 Geotechnical Engineering

Based on the geotechnical investigation result, a pile foundation is required to support

the superstructure loads. Moderately to slightly weathered basalt which were
encountered at GL-14.5m~20.0m, has been chosen as the bearing layer for the
foundations. In consideration of the local construction equipment, the construction
examples in Mauritius, and constructability, a drilled pile is the best type of the
foundation for the structure at the site.

In consideration of the bearing capacity and the settlement of the foundation against the
load from the superstructure, the drilled pile, which is to be socketed in the layer of
moderately to slightly weathered basalt, is planned to have the length of 2.5 times the
diameter of the pile. The minimum thickness of the layer from the bottom of the pile is
planned to have a length of 2.0 times the diameter of the pile. From these requirements,
the bearing layer thickness should be over 4.5 times the diameter of the pile.

Based on the fact that moderately to slightly weathered basalt and completely weathered
basalt are altered and considering minimum bearing layer thickness, an 800mm
diameter drilled pile is applied for foundations.

3.7.11 Stormwater Drainage

The existing drainage network w a s studied and assessed so as to design an optimum

storm water network management for the proposed project. This will be taken up during
the detailed design stage.

The proposed stormwater drainage scheme for discharge of runoff is as shown in the
Figure 3-25.

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 Figure 3-25: Drainage Scheme for GSJ Pont Fer-Jumbo-Dowlut

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3.7.12 Construction Methodology for the River Diversion Scheme

The proposed construction methodology to divert River Sèche is as shown in Figures

3-26 to Figure 3-28.

Figure 3-26: Stage 1 Existing Condition of the River Sèche

Figure 3-27: Stage 2 Excavation in Rivers

Figure 3-28: Stage 3 Construction of Sandbag Barriers for River Diversions

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 Figure 3-29: Stage 4 Construction of Box Culverts

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