CH2M HILL has been appointed as Technical and Contractual Advisor to the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board for the delivery of the Mersey Gateway Bridge PPP project in UK.

The £1.86 billion Mersey Gateway comprises of a 2.3 kilometre long six-lane cable stay bridge with three towers rising up to 125 metres above the river bed. With a river span of 1 kilometre, along with a new and improved high standard road of 9.5 kilometres long, the bridge will stand as an iconic piece of UK infrastructure, connecting north Widnes and Merseyside with Runcorn and the national motorway network in north Cheshire.

CH2M HILL will provide expert technical and contractual advice to the Board throughout the design and construction stages of the project. Services provided by the team will include reviewing submissions from Merseylink, construction monitoring, addressing change and undertaking systems audits.

Merseylink  is the special purpose vehicle with the delegated authority to deliver the Mersey Gateway Bridge project and to administer and oversee the construction and maintenance of the new tolled crossings including the tolling of the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge until 2044.

Bilfinger Berger Global Infrastructure SICAV S.A. announced on 31 March 2014 that it completed the acquisition of 37.5% of the equity and subordinated debt interests in Merseylink. Other equity partners in the Merseylink consortium are Macquarie Capital Group Limited and FCC Construcción. The joint venture was appointed as preferred bidder for the project in June 2013 and it achieved financial close on 28 March 2014.

The total project investment is estimated at US$964 million.

Steve Nicholson, Mersey Gateway Crossings Board Interim Chief Executive stated:

We are delighted to have selected CH2M HILL, with Ramboll and IBI, to provide technical and contractual advisory services for the Mersey Gateway Crossing. We have worked very closely with CH2M HILL over the past eight years and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them. The Mersey Gateway Bridge Project is a vital piece of infrastructure for the region and once completed will act as a catalyst for regeneration, creating jobs and new business development in Merseyside whilst improving connectivity throughout the north-west.

Stuart Withycombe, Major Crossings Global Director at CH2M HILL, added:

CH2M HILL has been advising the Council for many years on the Mersey Gateway Crossing and we are delighted that we will be able to continue this relationship through the design and construction stages of the project. We are looking forward to working closely with the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board and the other members of the advisory team to bring huge benefits to the residents and local economy in the Mersey area.