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Rootlok system for vegetated retaining wall on footway
Powys County Council used a Rootlok vegetated wall system to construct a retaining wall and provide protection to a new footway where a new road had severed pedestrian links between hamlets on Builth Road and Cwmbach in Wales
The Improvement Works on the A470 Cwmbach to Newbridge severed pedestrian links between hamlets on Builth Road and Cwmbach. As part of the initial scheme a combined footpath / bridle path was provided for pedestrians. However, the pathway was unsuitable for many users due to the gradients and surfacing.
A more inclusive pathway was required. A new route was chosen and a suitable design was created and approved.
Product supplied
RF Price (Groundworks) Ltd was awarded the scheme to provide a 60 x 1.5m tarmac footpath with timber edging and a Rootlok retaining wall which would retain the slope and provide erosion protection to the area.
Rootlok was selected as a green alternative to hard materials as it would achieve a sustainable natural finish. A deep-rooted, low-maintenance grass seed was specified for this project to reduce the need for regular maintenance.
Outcome
As the system is simple and flexible to install, the wall was built easily in just 1 day. GeoGrow provided the contractors with pre-seeded bags helping to establish a grass covering within 10 days. The system was watered each day for 1 week after completion due to it being installed during a dry period to help establish vegetation.