Gantries for National Highways
5. Requirements, technical parameters and design considerations
The purpose of this competition is to create an elegant solution to display static and electronic signage and mounted roadside equipment.
This solution should work in a range of environments, from the urban to rural and provide consistent visual reference to the gantry family:
- Cantilever Gantry: spans one lane from a single support, specifically to display the large electronic Variable Message Sign.
- Super-span Cantilever Gantry: spans all carriageways lanes from a single support, to display a mix of static signs, the electronic Variable Message Sign and smaller lane specific electronic Advanced Message Indicators.
- Portal Gantry: spans a single carriageway with support at either end, to display a mix of static signs, the large electronic Variable Message Sign and smaller lane specific Advanced Message Indicators.
- Super-span Portal Gantry: spans both carriageways with support at either end, to display a mix of static signs, the electronic Variable Message Sign and lane specific electronic Advanced Message Indicators.
Further pictures are available for reference in Appendix 2 – photo gallery.
The major road network is a safety critical and regulated environment so entries will need to consider that final designs developed in the follow-on phase will need to comply with the standards for highways. The structural engineer will support the architect in understanding these requirements in the detailed design phase. The key reference document at this point will be the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB).
