Viaduct vision: Protected species conserved in road project

A road project worth ZAR 500 million (US$ 77 million) is underway in South Africa's Eastern Cape province to link small rural towns in the region. However, in the middle of the proposed route is a yellowwood forest. In order to shield these indigenous trees, contractor, Rumdel Cape and three companies collectively known as the LM3 Joint Venture, are constructing a 245 m–long concrete viaduct which, at its highest point, towers 50 m above the forest floor. In addition five bridges and eight retaining walls will be built to ensure that the road's footprint is as small as possible.

Bell articulated dump trucks (ADTs) will move the 1 million m³ of soil during the project as well as rock fill material and aggregates up and down the mountain. The Bell fleet consists of four Bell B25D and four Bell B20D ADTs as well as nine other machines.

A spokesman for Bell said, “The Bell ADTs all–wheel drive traction and good gradeability under full loads makes them ideal for the project. The hydraulic retarders on the Bell B25Ds make them especially suitable for large loads on steep inclines.”