Herald Sun: East West Link toll road a step closer as consortium chosen. Matt Johnston, 9 September 2014
Final negotiations over the $6-8 billion East West Link contract have begun after the preferred consortium to build stage one of the toll road was selected.
Federal Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs and Victorian Treasurer Michael O’Brien said the preferred bidder was East West Connect, a group that built Peninsula Link and international projects such as the Port of Miami Tunnel.
The consortium includes Capella Capital, Lend Lease, Acciona Infrastructure and the Bouygues group.
It will now begin final negotiations with the government before a contract is signed.
Mr Briggs said this meant construction would kick off late this year.
“The East West Link will create thousands of new jobs, slash travel times for motorists and unlock the economic capacity of Victoria’s transport network, which is why we are providing $3 billion towards both stages of the project,” Mr Briggs said.
Mr O’Brien said the Napthine Government would now enter into exclusive negotiations with East West Connect “to deliver what is one of the world’s largest infrastructure projects currently out to tender”.
“East West Connect has significant experience in delivering projects of this size and scale both in Australia and overseas,” he said.
The tender process had involved three bidders, and that was whittled down to two recently.
The East West Connect group beat the Inner Link Group, which included Samsung, Cintra, Transfield, Macquarie, Uberior Instrastructure and Ferrovial Agroman.
A contract is expected to be signed by October.
Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the project “is part of an integrated solution to
improve connectivity across Victoria’s road network”.
Originally published as East West Link toll road a step closer
