Tender for $6-8 billion East-West link in Melbourne launched
Invitations for Expressions of Interest have been called to build Stage One of the East West Link.
Project proponents will have six weeks to get their Expressions of Interest in, with the Linking Melbourne Authority expecting to go to the market with a Request for Proposals in October, and awarding a contract in late 2014.
Construction of the project is expected to commence in late 2014 with expected completion in 2019-20.
Expressions of Interest for the East West Link will be evaluated based on six criteria:
- design, construction capability and experience
- operations, maintenance capability and experience
- stakeholder engagement
- financing capacity and capability
- commercial structure
- innovation.
The East West Link project is an 18-kilometre cross city connection north of the Melbourne central business district. The full East West Link dramatically improves the connectivity between Melbourne's established east and rapidly growing west, joining the Eastern Freeway at Hoddle Street with the Western Ring Road in Sunshine West.
The East West Link project will be delivered as an availability PPP with the state initially retaining tolling and traffic risk.
The East West Link Stage 1 has an estimated capital cost of between $6 billion and $8 billion.
Source: LinkingMelbourne
