A JV of Bouygues/Lend Lease has been announced preferred bidder by client organisation Transurban, for the contract to design and construct the $3bn, 9km long twin NorthConnex tunnels linking Sydney’s M1 and M2 freeways. The project includes a construction budget of $2.65bn along with land acquisition and project delivery costs and is now subject to planning approval and finalisation of contract.
Transurban’s Chief Executive Officer, Scott Charlton, said, “We have gone through a unique and innovative competitive tender process to select Lend Lease/Bouygues as the design and construction contractor. The twin tunnels will provide significant travel time savings for commuters and the freight network benefiting the NSW and Australian economies”.
NorthConnex is a 9km long tolled link from the southern end of the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga to the Hills M2 Motorway at its existing Pennant Hills Road interchange.
Tolls for the tunnels will be designed to align with the Hills M2 Motorway.
Mr Charlton said the tender process overseen by Transurban had demonstrated the benefits of private sector led procurement. The benefits included a fast tracked timeframe and turn around, reduced cost for tenderers, and innovative tender solutions.
“We received expressions of interest from a number of strong bidding consortia which resulted in delivering a design which is strong on innovation, sustainability and with enhanced outcomes for the road users and residents in the project corridor,” Mr Charlton said.
Mr Charlton said the design had incorporated a number of lessons learnt from other tunnel projects in order to make sure the NorthConnex tunnels were reaching the highest levels of sustainability and functionality.
“On site there will be a high level of construction waste recycling, the builders will maximise collection and reuse of non-potable water while in the tunnel they will establish and run low energy lighting and energy efficient tunnel ventilation systems,” he said.
“This will ensure the design and construction of the tunnel makes it one of the most sustainable road projects currently underway. The selected solution was one that minimises impact on property and the environment. It will have the highest headroom of any road tunnel in Australia (5.3m) and its alignment has been carefully designed to maintain consistent vehicle speed.”
Transurban approached the NSW Government in 2012 under the Government’s unsolicited proposal regime to design, build, operate and finance the link. In May last year the proposal moved to stage three which involved negotiating and submitting a final binding offer. With the announcement today the project moves into the planning approval stage with the public display of the Environmental Impact Assessment.
If approved work on NorthConnex would expect to begin in 2015 with the project open for use in 2019.
THE EQUILIBRIA PROPOSAL TO ENHANCE NORTHCONNEX:u2028u2028nnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriaProposalnnu2028u2028A HORIZONTAL TUNNEL MEANS MINIMUM EMISSIONS FROM ALL VEHICLES!u2028u2028nnThe Equilibria Proposal would enhance the NorthConnex M1-M2 Tunnel by extending the tunnel by approximately 1km. As the M1 falls down hill north of Pacific Highway, a horizontal tunnel can join the M1 on grade, with minimum vehicle emissions. The smoke stack would be close to the Hornsby industrial area, not immediate to the residential area in Wahroonga.u2028u2028nnThe redundant M1 land would be rezoned for a sustainable urban development. u2028u2028nnThe Equilibria Proposal is definitely the answer as it delivers all these benefits:u2028u2028nnu2022 Less pollution in tunnel because all vehicles will be coasting along the flat road (no gradient). This means faster traffic flows u2013 a less stressed tunnel u2013 therefore less risk for Transurban.nnu2022 More vehicles are likely to remain in the tunnel once they enter north of Pacific Highway – less risk for Transurban.u2028u2028nnu2022 Greater community acceptance of the NorthConnex tunnel due to less pollution and noise in the tunnel and local residential area.u2028u2028nnu2022 The extension to the tunnel would be cost effective due to economies of scale from existing construction setup.u2028u2028nnu2022 A likely improved EIS / more efficient planning approval. Note EIS has already been postponed with current proposal till July 2014.nnu2028u2028u2022 NSW Government receives capital return on sale of redundant M1 land.u2028u2028nnu2022 The pollution stack would be located adjacent to Hornsby industrial area, not immediate to Wahroonga residential area.nnu2028u2028u2022 Spring Gully Creek riparian zone, currently adjacent to the M1 would be protected, not destroyed.u2028u2028nnu2022 No Wahroonga resident would be forced out of their home.u2028u2028nnu2022 Provision of additional 2000 dwellings for Sydney within walking distance of a train station.u2028u2028nnu2022 Substantial financial benefits for the Federal Government, the NSW Government, Transurban and Lend Lease Bouygues.