PASADENA, Calif., Dec 16, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: JEC) welcomed the recent announcement by the Scottish Government that the Forth Replacement Crossing project is to move forward to its next phase by way of a Parliamentary Bill allowing a construction start in 2011.
Transport Scotland is the country's national transport agency and is responsible for delivery of the Scottish Government's transportation investment program.
The news follows the development work that Jacobs, in joint venture with Arup, performed this year as part of their contract with Transport Scotland to design, develop, and project manage the construction of a new cable-stayed bridge across the River Forth. It was a successful first year.
A study into the area's future transportation needs concluded that a replacement crossing for the existing Forth Road Bridge, which is more than 40 years old, is required to maintain a vital link for the economies of Fife, Edinburgh, and the East coast of Scotland. The proposed bridge will be an elegant, unique, and instantly recognizable cable-stayed bridge that complements the existing road and rail crossings and will be counted among the world's leading bridges when it is built.
The proposed new cable-stayed bridge will have three slender single column towers and including the approach viaducts will have an overall length of 2.7 kilometers. The deck will carry two general lanes of traffic and hard shoulders in each direction.
The joint venture team, which includes Flint & Neill Partnership, Dissing & Weitling, and EC Harris, will provide services across a range of disciplines including architecture and aesthetics, geotechnics, environment and landscaping, budgeting, statutory processes, and health and safety.
In making the announcement, Jacobs Group Vice President Michael Higgins said, "We are delighted that our joint venture has played a central role in the development of the project. Following today's announcement, we look forward to supporting the delivery of the Replacement Forth Crossing, the most exciting and significant transport project planned for Scotland in the 21st century. The project will deliver a key element of the country's future transportation infrastructure and one which will provide a range of benefits for both the local economy and for the wider community in Scotland."
Jacobs, with over 57,000 employees and revenues exceeding $11.0 billion, provides technical, professional, and construction services globally.
Any statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based on management's current estimates and expectations, and currently available competitive, financial, and economic data, forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. We, therefore, caution the reader that there are a variety of factors that could cause business conditions and results to differ materially from what is contained in our forward-looking statements. For a description of some of the factors which may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements please refer to our 2007 Form 10-K, and in particular the discussions contained under Items 1 - Business, 1A - Risk Factors, 3 - Legal Proceedings, and 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. We also caution the readers of this release that we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements made herein.
For additional information contact:
Michelle Jones
626.578.6968
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SOURCE Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.
http://www.jacobs.com