Federal funding for New York’s US$16bn Hudson Tunnel Project has been frozen, forcing the Gateway Development Commission to suspend works from 6 February after spending over US$1bn and employing about 1,000 site workers. A Manhattan federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order, giving the administration until 5 p.m. on 12 February to restore reimbursements or appeal, while contractors warn that demobilisation, resequencing and remobilisation will add cost and delay. Sites are now in “safe-pause” mode, with dewatering, ground support and environmental monitoring maintained, and assembly of two Herrenknecht TBMs in New Jersey likely to slip beyond the planned spring 2026 launch without funding certainty.

A sinkhole roughly 8–10 m wide and several metres deep has opened on the AJ Burkitt Reserve sporting oval in Heidelberg, directly adjacent to the North East Link tunnel alignment in Melbourne’s northeast. Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority has confirmed the “surface hole” is in the vicinity of active tunnelling operations, leading to a work pause while engineers and emergency crews carry out geotechnical investigations and monitoring. No injuries or structural damage have been reported, but the area remains fully cordoned off pending cause determination and stability assessment.

Consultation has opened on upgrading the High Street Road–Mowbray Drive signalised intersection in Wantirna South, a project within the Victorian and Federal governments’ $1.2 billion Suburban Road Blitz. The works are expected to target congestion and turning movements at this local arterial junction, which currently handles mixed residential and commercial traffic and feeds directly to the EastLink corridor. Designers should anticipate community input on lane configuration, pedestrian crossing phases and potential safety treatments for right‑turn and school‑peak traffic.

British Columbia investor Varandeep Singh Grewal has agreed to pay C$500,000 and accept a 10‑year ban from acting as a registrant, promoter or securities market consultant after the BC Securities Commission found he facilitated misleading investor relations for a supposed mineral exploration startup. Over two months in 2018, a third‑party IR provider, arranged by Grewal, claimed the company was actively mining, producing minerals and using “state‑of‑the‑art, environmental‑friendly” technology, when it in fact remained purely in the exploration phase with no such infrastructure. The case signals tighter scrutiny of promotional claims around early‑stage mining projects, particularly where production and proprietary technology are asserted without evidence.

The MINEXCHANGE 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo in Salt Lake City will close next week with SME’s Signature Awards Event recognising more than 70 recipients across mining, metallurgy and exploration. Honours span technical excellence, health and safety, environmental stewardship and professional service, reinforcing SME’s role in setting practice benchmarks for US and international operations. For engineers and operators, the awards list often signals emerging leaders, influential research directions and projects likely to shape upcoming guidance and conference content.

Delays at the Building Safety Regulator’s Gateway 3 stage are linked by law firm Irwin Mitchell to 44 undecided schemes and 5,594 completed higher-risk residential units remaining unoccupied, with one case waiting 550 days against an eight‑week target. Of 158 Gateway 3 applications in 2023, 55 took more than three months for a decision, raising concerns over cashflow impacts on developers and handover timing for residents. The BSR disputes the interpretation, stating no new-build higher-risk building that passed Gateway 2 has yet applied for Gateway 3 and that current cases are mainly transitional legacy projects with significant safety issues.

Women into Home Building is opening applications for its eighth fully funded three-week intake, combining one week of online training with two weeks of on-site placements in site management and new building inspector roles with NHBC. Since its 2023 launch by the Home Builders Federation and partner house-builders, over 150 women have completed introductory training, but only about one-third have secured industry jobs, against a backdrop of women making up just 15% of the construction workforce and 5% of site managers. Applications for May 2026 placements run from 16 February to 22 March via pathwayctm.com.

Major tram maintenance works are closing the Spencer–Bourke Street intersection in Melbourne’s CBD from 15–26 February as crews replace worn tram tracks, reconstruct road pavement and install new poles and 600–750V overhead wiring. The full road closure will affect multiple Yarra Trams routes and general traffic, with diversions pushing vehicles onto adjacent CBD arterials and increasing loading on nearby intersections. For civil and track engineers, the works concentrate disruptive grinding, welding and slab replacement into an 11‑day occupation, limiting longer-term settlement and fatigue issues at this high-axle-load junction.

The second stage of the Main South Road Duplication Project has opened to traffic in Adelaide, doubling carriageway capacity between Aldinga and Sellicks Beach and removing a key bottleneck on the Fleurieu Peninsula corridor. Delivered by the Fleurieu Connections Alliance, led by CPB Contractors, the works convert this section of Main South Road from a single to dual carriageway, with new intersections and median separation improving traffic flow and crash risk performance. For civil and pavement engineers, the duplication sets the geometric and structural standard for future upgrades further south.

Restoration of Cornwallis’ flood-damaged drainage network and reconstruction of the missing section of Cornwallis Road in New South Wales has been completed by Hawkesbury City Council in partnership with NSW Public Works. Works included rebuilding the road and repairing the levee system to protect low-lying, flood‑prone properties along this corridor on the Hawkesbury floodplain. For geotechnical and civil teams, the project signals renewed design focus on drainage capacity and levee robustness after recent extreme flood events in the region.

New South Wales has introduced a bill to make its Demerit Point Reward Program permanent, following a trial that began in 2023 to encourage safer driving behaviour. The scheme rewards motorists who avoid new offences over a defined period by restoring demerit points, directly affecting licence suspension thresholds and enforcement loads on the road network. For road and traffic engineers, the programme’s permanence would lock in a behavioural lever that can be modelled alongside physical safety upgrades, speed zoning and enforcement camera placement.

Vizsla Silver is keeping its long-term development plans for the Panuco silver-gold project in Sinaloa after 10 workers were kidnapped on 23 January, at least five killed and five still missing, with site operations suspended but engineering work continuing remotely. Panuco hosts 12.8 million proven and probable tonnes grading 2.01 g/t gold and 249 g/t silver, with a planned 9.4‑year mine life producing 17.4 million silver‑equivalent oz. per year at an AISC of $10.61/oz and over 20 million oz. annually in the first five years. National Bank Financial now expects first production to slip from 2027 to around 2030 and warns security, labour and inflation could add up to $5/t to costs, as more than 1,000 Mexican troops and elite marines remain deployed in the district.

Fellow and risk specialist John Carpenter has resigned from the Institution of Civil Engineers, issuing an open letter criticising what he calls the ICE’s “lack of adequate response” to the Grenfell Tower fire. Carpenter, a long-standing member with recognised expertise in risk management, argues the institution has failed to provide sufficiently robust professional guidance on fire safety, cladding and high-rise residential design. His departure signals growing pressure on professional bodies to tighten competency standards and technical leadership on life-safety critical infrastructure.

Albert Bridge in west London has been closed to motor traffic after a routine inspection found a cracked cast iron component at one of the bridge abutments, Kensington and Chelsea council confirmed. The 1873 Grade II* listed structure, a hybrid cable‑stayed and suspension bridge over the Thames, remains open to pedestrians and cyclists while engineers assess the defect. Structural investigations will focus on load paths through the affected abutment detail and the implications for fatigue and brittle fracture behaviour in the historic cast iron.

Sandvik has agreed to acquire South Africa-based ThoroughTec Simulation, a developer of OEM-agnostic mining equipment simulators and a cloud-based training management system, which will be integrated into Sandvik Mining’s Parts and Services division. ThoroughTec’s portfolio covers surface and underground loaders, trucks and drills, allowing site-specific virtual training on actual mine layouts and control systems. The deal signals stronger emphasis on simulator-based operator training, with potential to standardise competency management and reduce in-field training hours across mixed fleets.

Work to upgrade the East Coast Main Line between Welwyn and Hitchin has reached its halfway point, with engineers set to start digital signalling tests later this month to enable in‑cab signalling on this busy mixed‑traffic corridor. The programme forms part of the wider ECML East Coast Digital Programme, replacing lineside signals with ETCS‑based cab displays to increase capacity and reduce maintenance exposure on one of the UK’s highest‑loaded main lines. Upcoming tests will focus on integrating onboard ETCS equipment with existing interlockings and traffic management systems.

Geotab has outlined a next-generation telematics roadmap for Australian fleets at Geotab Connect 2026, featuring AI-powered video safety tools designed to analyse driver behaviour and incident risk in real time. The company is also rolling out new in-vehicle hardware and “ruggedised” asset trackers aimed at operating reliably on remote haul roads and construction sites where traditional cellular coverage is limited. For civil and infrastructure contractors, the package targets tighter control of mixed fleets, from heavy trucks to off-highway plant, with improved location, utilisation and safety data.

AusIMM has confirmed seven ambassadors for its 2026 International Women’s Day Event Series, including senior leaders from major miners and METS companies who will front events across Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. The series will combine in-person breakfasts and luncheons with live-streamed technical panels, targeting operational, geotechnical and processing professionals from graduate to executive level. Organisers are positioning the programme to tackle retention and progression of women in site-based roles, flexible rostering for FIFO operations, and leadership pathways in underground and processing plants.

Proven air filtration protection for mine-site conditions is being targeted with Donaldson’s XHLX80K PowerCore kit, designed specifically for the Toyota Hilux N80 used in light-vehicle fleets on haul roads and in pit operations. The retrofit system replaces the OEM airbox with a high-dust-capacity PowerCore cartridge and sealed housing engineered for fine silica and abrasive dust typical of Australian open-cut mines. For maintenance planners, the kit aims to extend filter life, reduce unplanned engine derates, and standardise filtration performance across mixed-site Hilux fleets.

Chevron’s Delo TorqForce MP has been approved by Allison Transmission as the first, and currently only, lubricant to meet the new TES 781 specification for stationary off-highway transmissions. TES 781 targets high-load, continuous-duty services such as hydraulic fracturing and high-pressure pumping, where transmissions run at sustained torque and temperature for long intervals. For mine operators using Allison-powered fixed or skid-mounted equipment, the approval provides a defined fluid option for warranty compliance and for managing wear, varnish and unplanned downtime in severe-duty drivetrains.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and Speedy Hire are launching a UK-wide occupational safety and health (OSH) skills commission to tackle shortages in competent safety practitioners across construction, infrastructure and industrial sectors. The initiative will convene contractors, plant hire specialists and training providers to map current OSH competencies, identify gaps in areas such as work-at-height, lifting operations and temporary works, and propose structured training pathways. Outcomes are expected to influence site induction standards, certification requirements and procurement criteria for major projects.

Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission has opened a new $600,000 funding round for community-based road safety projects, targeting local councils, schools and community groups. Grants will support initiatives such as low-cost traffic-calming works, pedestrian and cyclist safety upgrades near schools, and data-led speed management campaigns tailored to local crash patterns. Civil and traffic engineers should note opportunities to trial small-scale infrastructure treatments and behavioural interventions that can later inform larger capital works and network safety programmes.

Piling is complete for a new road bridge over the Werribee train line in Altona, Victoria, as part of works to remove the Maidstone Street level crossing. A 140-tonne piling rig has drilled 23 bored piles up to nine metres deep and 1.5 metres in diameter, which have each been filled with reinforced concrete to form the bridge foundations. The works set the geotechnical baseline for the superstructure, with deep foundations designed to control settlement and maintain track and road alignment under traffic loads.

Timken is extending the service life of cone and gyratory crushers in Australian mines by pairing precision-engineered tapered roller bearings with advanced wear-resistant coatings tailored to high-load, high-contamination environments. The company is applying solid-film and PVD-style surface treatments to bearing races and rollers to cut fretting, scuffing and false brinelling on crusher mainshafts and eccentric assemblies, reducing unplanned shutdowns and relubrication intervals. For maintenance and reliability teams, the approach targets lower lifecycle cost and longer rebuild cycles on critical primary and secondary crushing circuits.

Sixty North Gold Mining plans to restart the past-producing Mon gold mine in the Northwest Territories by midyear, installing a 100-tonne-per-day mill on site about 40 km from Yellowknife. CEO David Webb targets production of roughly 100 oz. gold per day from new development 17 metres beneath historical stopes in a belt that previously yielded about 15 million oz. at 16 g/t. The restart is proceeding without a formal economic study or compliant resources/reserves, with Webb opting to validate the orebody directly through mining.

SmartFleetDX, the digital solutions arm of BIA Group, has entered a strategic partnership with Wabtec Digital Mine to distribute Wabtec’s Gen3 Collision Avoidance System (CAS) and AI Smart Cameras. The agreement adds Gen3 CAS – widely used for proximity detection and vehicle-to-vehicle alerts on large haul trucks and loaders – into SmartFleetDX’s fleet management and monitoring offering. For mine operators, the move signals broader access to interoperable, retrofit-ready safety hardware that can be integrated with existing digital platforms for mixed fleets.

Engineering and construction firms are using National Apprenticeship Week (9–15 February) to promote structured routes into civil engineering, with contractors, consultants and public-sector clients jointly publicising apprenticeship intakes and training pathways. Initiatives centre on Level 3–6 civil engineering and technician apprenticeships aligned to ICE and IStructE routes, combining site-based experience on live infrastructure projects with day-release or block-release study at FE colleges and universities. Employers are stressing early exposure to design offices, digital tools such as BIM, and geotechnical and structures rotations to address skills gaps on major UK transport and water schemes.

Government plans to overhaul construction apprenticeships by introducing “sampling” in competence-based assessment, cutting mandatory skills and knowledge criteria in trades such as carpentry and joinery by 60–70% from the current 70 items, and allowing end point assessment organisations to design their own processes. British Woodworking Federation chief executive Helen Hewitt warns this conflicts with Building Safety Act competence requirements, jeopardises CSCS recognition and risks undertrained workers handling life-safety products like fire doors. More than 30 organisations in the Construction Coalition have already forced a pause on the reforms, but employers are delaying apprentice recruitment amid ongoing uncertainty.

An ultrasonic acoustic fish deterrent designed for EDF’s Hinkley Point C cooling water intakes has proved “highly effective” in Swansea University trials, significantly reducing fish approach rates to the intake zone. The system uses targeted sound frequencies to steer multiple species away from the intake channel, aiming to meet Environment Agency requirements on impingement and entrainment without major changes to the intake structure. Trial results may remove the need for a large compensatory saltmarsh scheme on the Severn Estuary, easing local planning and coastal engineering constraints.

Network Rail will this month strengthen the River Plym railway bridge east of Plymouth by renewing age‑expired steelwork and rail bearers on the structure. The works target key load‑bearing elements that carry the twin‑track formation over the river, aiming to maintain route availability for passenger and freight services on this main line section. Contractors will need to manage short possessions over tidal water, with careful sequencing of steel replacement and track realignment to control deflection and minimise settlement.

Sandvik is adding the mid-range RG550Be drill bit resharpening machine to its portfolio, extending coverage across both top hammer (TH) and down-the-hole (DTH) drilling with a tiered line-up of high-end, mid-range and handheld units. The OEM is targeting improved safety and ergonomics in bit maintenance, moving more grinding work off manual benches and into enclosed, purpose-built machines. For mine operators, the broader range allows closer matching of resharpening capacity to fleet size and bit type, with potential gains in bit life and drilling penetration rates.

RICS has overhauled its continuing professional development framework for 130,000 members, shifting to a flexible, outcomes-based system that explicitly covers artificial intelligence, net zero building assessments and climate risk analysis. The framework responds to feedback that many chartered surveyors qualified before exposure to AI-powered valuation tools or structured climate-related due diligence, raising concerns over competence in current regulatory and ESG contexts. A new RICS member app, now rolling out globally, logs CPD hours, issues reminders and links learning activity to demonstrable professional accountability and public-interest protection.

Retail refit programmes using mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) are facing a critical safety gap, with a live Marks & Spencer fit-out exercise by Horizon Platforms and Sigma M&E showing that many rescue plans fail when tested under real site congestion, multiple trades and live programme pressures. Senior site managers and health & safety leads discovered that nominated ground rescuers often lacked familiarity with specific MEWP control layouts, with identical inputs sometimes triggering opposite movements between manufacturers. A simplified, on-equipment rescue process flow chart proved more usable than lengthy method statements, pointing to the need for regular, machine-specific familiarisation and realistic rescue rehearsals.

OSMRE has awarded nearly $120 million in FY2026 fee‑based Abandoned Mine Land grants (reduced to just over $113 million after a mandatory 5.7% sequestration) to 24 US coal‑producing states and two tribal programmes to tackle legacy coal sites, including an estimated 500,000 abandoned mines. Wyoming receives $21.8 million, Pennsylvania $18.9 million and West Virginia $13.7 million, with the Navajo Nation and Crow Tribe allocated $411,589 and $28,154 respectively. Projects will target open shafts, unstable highwalls, subsidence and polluted mine water threatening homes, roads and other infrastructure.

Queensland’s 2025 Resources Awards for Women have named 18 finalists spanning roles from engineering superintendent and diesel fitter to dragline operator and chief operating officer across coal, metals and quarrying operations. Nominees include frontline trades, site-based supervisors and corporate leaders from major producers and contractors, with categories covering technical excellence, safety leadership and gender diversity initiatives. For mine operators, the awards signal growing recognition of women in production-critical roles and may influence recruitment, apprenticeship intake and retention strategies on remote sites.

Kidnappers who abducted Vizsla Silver workers on 23 January in Sinaloa, Mexico, have killed at least some of the victims, whose bodies were recovered from a clandestine grave near El Verde, about 15 km from the company’s Panuco silver-gold project in Concordia. Vizsla has suspended certain activities at the high‑grade Panuco project, which hosts 12.8 million proven and probable tonnes grading 2.01 g/t gold and 249 g/t silver and is planned to produce 17.4 million silver‑equivalent oz. per year over 9.4 years. The security crisis has driven Vizsla’s Toronto‑listed shares down 42% since 28 January, raising serious questions over project execution and workforce protection in the region.

A £12.6M Environment Agency upgrade to flood defences along Fowlea Brook in Stoke-on-Trent, designed by Arup, has been completed to reduce flood risk to homes, businesses and key transport links. The scheme focuses on improving channel capacity and formalising embankments and walls along critical sections of the brook, which has a history of rapid response to intense rainfall. For geotechnical and civil teams, the works signal ongoing demand for integrated fluvial modelling, foundation design for flood walls, and coordination with existing urban infrastructure.

A Croydon Crown Court judge has jailed 56-year-old sole trader Israel Jackson for 12 months after he illegally installed a gas boiler for a 90-year-old homeowner in May 2022 while falsely claiming to be Gas Safe registered and issuing a fraudulent gas safety certificate. The installation triggered gas smells, loss of hot water and two separate “immediately dangerous” notices from British Gas and BT Heating and Property before the boiler was finally replaced in June 2023. HSE found Jackson had continued unregistered gas fitting work despite a 2015 conviction, and served U-Works Services Ltd with a prohibition notice for failing to verify his Gas Safe status.

Ardmore Group has reported a £42.3m pre-tax loss on £345.9m turnover for the year to 30 September 2024, driven by historic project losses, multi-year remedial works and a £15m adjudication award linked to its former general contracting arm, Ardmore Construction Limited (ACL). Management says trading since year-end has “materially” improved, with profit before tax of about £11m expected from continuing operations in 2025 and a strong forward order book including the Kensington Forum Hotel. However, Building Liability Order claims over alleged defective works by ACL have triggered a material uncertainty over going concern, despite year-end cash of £27.6m and auditor agreement.

Rainfall 64% above the February average has triggered widespread flooding and landslides across Colombia, killing at least 13 people and affecting more than 10,000, with Antioquia, Cundinamarca and Valle del Cauca among the hardest-hit departments. Rivers including the Magdalena and Cauca have overtopped banks, damaging road embankments, bridge approaches and hillside settlements, and forcing evacuations in multiple municipalities. Geotechnical teams face saturated slopes, debris flows and scour at culvert and retaining-wall foundations, with authorities warning of further failures if intense rainfall persists.

Federal Government funding of more than $86.2 million under tranche three of the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program will support 30 new road projects across New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. Works will target safety and resilience upgrades on local networks, likely including pavement strengthening, intersection treatments and improved roadside barriers in high‑risk corridors. Designers and contractors should expect a pipeline of small to mid‑scale rehabilitation and safety packages suited to accelerated delivery and staged traffic management.

Rammer is expanding advanced technical training for its global hydraulic rockbreaker dealer network, focusing on correct installation, nitrogen charging, and troubleshooting of large hammers on high-duty mining excavators. Courses cover Rammer’s integrated systems such as Ramlube automatic lubrication and Ramdata monitoring, enabling dealers to diagnose impact energy loss, excessive tool wear, and carrier–breaker mismatch on site. Better-trained service teams are expected to cut unplanned downtime on production rockbreakers, improve tool life in hard rock and oversize reduction, and standardise maintenance practices across regions.

Stricter MSHA limits on respirable crystalline silica are prompting Superior Industries to promote new conveyor dust control hardware for transfer points and load zones. The Adjustable Skirtboard Systems allow operators to fine‑tune skirtboard height and position along the belt to maintain a tight seal as liners wear, reducing fugitive dust and spillage without repeated structural modifications. RockGuard™ Skirting Liners use abrasion‑resistant materials and modular segments so mines can swap high‑wear sections quickly, supporting compliance while limiting downtime on high‑tonnage conveyors.

Rosh Pinah Zinc has commissioned Namibia’s first paste backfill plant at the Rosh Pinah zinc-lead-silver mine, enabling cemented paste backfilling of underground stopes to cut dilution, reduce surface tailings and improve ore recovery while being run by a locally trained operations team. The RP2.0 expansion, now over 85% complete and targeting Q3 2026 completion, includes a new portal and decline, new paste fill and processing facilities, a SAG mill and water treatment plants. In parallel, RPZ is executing more than 80 km of diamond drilling to 2027, covering infill, step-out and regional targets to extend mine life.

Fire enforcement notices have been served by the Office for Nuclear Regulation on all five MEH alliance contractors at Hinkley Point C – Altrad Babcock, Altrad Services, Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick, Cavendish Nuclear and NG Bailey – following a December 2025 inspection of the Unit 1 HF electrical building. Inspectors found no suitable fire risk assessment, inadequate means of escape with too few emergency exits for current workforce numbers, and combustible materials stored in a designated emergency stairway. The firms must now embed compliant fire arrangements, while main works contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke Delivery are separately facing court action over safety breaches.

Profit warnings from FTSE Construction & Materials companies more than trebled in 2025, rising to 18 from five in 2024, with 33% of listed firms issuing at least one warning – the highest level since the 33 alerts seen in 2020. EY-Parthenon attributes 50% of these warnings to contract and order cancellations or delays, with policy change and geopolitical uncertainty cited in 28% and rising costs in 17%. Increasing regulatory complexity around the Building Safety Act, legacy liabilities and labour shortages are eroding margins and straining working capital across project supply chains.

Mackley has secured a £12m contract from Barking Riverside Limited to remodel 500 metres of Thames foreshore in east London, raising the flood defence crest from +7.1mOD to +8.2mOD in line with the Thames Estuary 2100 strategy. Works, starting February 2026 and lasting about 14 months, will use regrading, reinforced concrete walls and localised sheet piling, with surface water managed via swales, attenuation basins and storage tanks. The scheme adds a new riverside terrace east of Barking Riverside Pier, upgraded pedestrian routes and 1,250 m² of new intertidal habitat, integrating utilities corridors, fire access and ecological mitigation.

McLanahan is promoting structured maintenance strategies for its feeder breakers, which combine controlled chain-feeding with primary size reduction for underground and surface coal operations. The company stresses regular inspection of pick segments, conveyor chains and flight bars, plus correct torqueing of gearbox and drive couplings, to prevent unplanned downtime on high-impact duty cycles. Guidance focuses on planning component change-out intervals around known wear patterns and ensuring OEM-spec parts and clearances are maintained to protect motors, gearboxes and crusher rolls in abrasive, high-throughput environments.

More than 140,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying towns and rural communities in northwestern Morocco after extreme rainfall and emergency releases from multiple upstream dams caused major flooding along several river valleys. Rapid drawdown and high downstream discharges are stressing ageing embankment protections, inundating agricultural terraces and damaging road and bridge approaches, with several river crossings reportedly overtopped. Geotechnical teams now face urgent inspections of dam abutments, spillway structures and saturated slopes, alongside rapid debris clearance to reopen key access routes for relief and repair works.

Consultation has opened on Hobart’s Northern Access Road, a new link from the Tasman Highway/McVilly Drive interchange curving around to serve the Macquarie Point Development Precinct as a primary transport corridor. Draft concept designs focus on separating port, freight and event traffic from city streets, with new intersections and grade changes to tie into existing Tasman Highway ramps. Geotechnical and civil inputs will be critical around waterfront ground conditions, existing bridge abutments and maintaining traffic capacity during staged construction.