Directional Drilling for Fibre Cables Under the M8 Motorway
In November 2017, we worked with C Plan telecommunications to install 175m of cable beneath the M8 Motorway at junction 6 near Motherwell as part of a project to install superfast broadband across the region.
As the key road link between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the M8 is used by thousands of vehicles each day, making it important for the motorway and slip roads to remain open and avoid traffic disruption.
C Plan Telecommunications needed to take fibre cable from one side of the motorway to the other so engaged Mole Utilities as the leading experts in no-dig directional drilling with wide experience of the specialist skills needed for telecommunication installations. The project took the 110mm MDPE pipe beneath both slip roads, bridges and the motorway over a combined distance of 175m.
Mole Utilities Install fibre cable at busy junction of M8 Motorway
In preparation for the project, our team conducted a full site visit, studied the radar scan in detail and planned the best route beneath the motorway based on ground conditions and obstructions.
Our site survey took into account the high volume of traffic on this vital road link, and the potential for issues drilling beneath the made-up ground that forms the motorway bridges and surrounding slip road infrastructure.
Our team were on site for a total of 4 days carrying out the drilling using out 14 tonne DD-3238 directional drill. Following recent wet weather, ground conditions were wet and challenging, but our expert team found working solutions, completing the job to specification and on time.
Mole Utilities’ expertise in trenchless installation of utilities cables makes us the ideal partner for your future fibre installations in built up areas and near roads with high volumes of traffic. We recommend adopting horizontal directional drilling as the preferred method for this work rather than trenching – Don’t Dig, Drill!
