The seemingly inexorable growth of traffic has led to the expansion of the motorway systems in North America and Europe.

Increasingly the capacity of existing motorways is being enhanced by the construction of additional lanes.

The planning of widening works should take account of the special nature of a live motorway site, which imposes constraints on working space and access, and the acute pressure to commission the works as quickly possible.

Furthermore it is essential to coordinate the widening operations to avoid costly duplications on maintenance and road improvements, and on the upgrading of communication equipment.