Highways England appoints LTC CASCADE joint venture as Technical Partner for the Lower Thames Crossing

LONDON, May 20, 2016 -- Highways England has announced the appointment of the LTC CASCADE joint venture as Technical Partner on the Lower Thames Crossing, the proposed new river crossing in the Thames Estuary, linking Kent and Essex.

The LTC CASCADE joint venture – consisting of engineering and programme management company CH2M, design and consultancy firm Arcadis, and tunnel and bridge specialists COWI – will provide technical support throughout the project's development and construction. The joint venture's role will run through the future stages of the project and include detailed environmental surveys, traffic modelling, economic analysis, planning and design of the preferred route, full environmental impact assessments, engagement and consultation activities and preparation of the Development Consent Order (DCO) application.

The proposed Lower Thames Crossing is one of the Government's top 40 infrastructure projects and would increase road capacity through the creation of a 'motorway-to-motorway' connection to offer the best balance of journey time improvements, value for money, economic benefits and environmental impact.

Chris Taylor, Highways England Director of Complex Infrastructure, said: "A new Lower Thames Crossing will unlock massive economic potential for people in Essex, Kent and the whole UK. We need to have a world class team to ensure that the project we end up taking forward will deliver its full potential, and our technical partner will help us do just that. I'm delighted that LTC CASCADE has been appointed to this vital role and I look forward to working with them to deliver this crossing and its legacy for Britain."

Commenting on the appointment, Ken Durbin, Programme Director for the LTC CASCADE joint venture, said: "We are delighted to have been appointed Technical Partner for the Lower Thames Crossing and look forward to working alongside Highways England in delivering this iconic programme. A new river crossing in the Thames Estuary area will relieve congestion and create additional capacity on the UK's strategic road network, opening up huge growth opportunities for Kent and Essex and greatly supporting UK businesses."

About CH2M

CH2M leads the professional services industry delivering sustainable solutions to clients working on the world's most complex challenges. CH2Mers make a positive difference providing consulting, design, engineering and management solutions for vital infrastructure and resources serving diverse public- and private-sector clients. With $5.4 billion in revenue and ~22,000 people, the firm has offices in 50 countries and four business groups: water; environment and nuclear; transportation; and energy and industrial. Known for managing global events such as the Olympic Games, CH2M ranks among Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies; number-one in environmental consulting and programme management by Engineering News-Record; and among sustainability leaders by independent analyst Verdantix. CH2M in 2016 was selected to receive the World Environment Center's Gold Medal Award for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development, and in 2015, received the Stockholm International Water Institute's highest Industry Water Award for advancing innovative potable reuse technologies. To learn more about the CH2M difference, connect with the firm at www.ch2m.com; linkedin.com/company/ch2m; twitter.com/ch2m; facebook.com/ch2mhill; and search for jobs at www.ch2m.com/careers.

Contact: Jonathan Refoy / Lewis Roberts
Phone: +44 (0)7880 315877 / +44 (0)7867 468903
Email: jonathan.refoy@ch2m.com / lewis.roberts@ch2m.com

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SOURCE CH2M