Three consortiums have been shortlisted to tender for a $1.4bn (A$1.8bn) contract to alleviate traffic congestion in eight roads in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
The scheme, which is known as the Outer Suburban Arterial Roads (OSARs) programme, is being let as a public-private partnership overseen by the state’s VicRoads agency and Partnerships Victoria. Â
The three teams in the running are:
- Netflow, which consists of Spanish giant Ferrovial and its Cintra and Broadspectrum subsidiaries, the Australian companies Plenary Group, WBHO Infrastructure, and Amey Consulting.
- The Western Improvement Network, made up of CIMIC subsidiaries CPB Contractors and Pacific Partnerships, and Australia’s Ventia, Dutch fund manager DIF Management and Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation.
- Western Roads Partnership, which includes Lendlease, Australian finance houses Capella Capital and WRP, southern Australian contractor Cut & Fill Engineering and BBGI, the company formerly known as Bilfinger Berger Global Infrastructure.
The development phase of the project will last between three and four years, during which time the successful bidder will be required to complete the design and construction of the capital projects and undertake rehabilitation works.
This is one of the biggest ever projects to update suburban arterial roads – and it’s going to create jobs, cut travel times and congestion and improve safety– Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria
There the 20-year maintenance phase in which the winning consortium will have to keep the system in good repair.
The project includes almost 30km of lane duplication and more than 700 lane kilometres of rehabilitation and maintenance.
Once the "western package" is complete, a southeastern and possibly a northern package will follow.
Over the past 10 years, the population living in Melbourne’s suburbs has increased by about 60%.
State Premier Daniel Andrews said last year: "This is one of the biggest ever projects to update suburban arterial roads – and it’s going to create jobs, cut travel times and congestion and improve safety. We’re building better roads for Victorian families to get them home safer and sooner to their loved ones."
Image: The population in Melbourne’s suburbs has increased 60% in the past 10 years (Fir0002/Flagstaffotos)
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