Bids are in for Northern Link
The three consortia vying to design, build and operate the 5km Northern Link tunnel, have submitted their bids for the project.
The three bid teams – Northern Direct, LBRJV and Transcity – have spent five months developing detailed and fully-costed bids.
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said Northern Link would be a vital link in Brisbane’s motorway network between the Western Freeway at Toowong and the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove.
“I am very confident that Northern Link will be a strong project that will deliver significant benefits to motorists and the wider community,” Cr Newman said.
The tender documents will be evaluated by a team comprising engineers, financial and commercial advisors, traffic specialists, legal advisors and environmental experts.
Bids will be evaluated on a number of criteria, including commercial and contractual outcomes, technical proficiency, cost effectiveness and innovation through design, construction methods and community engagement, among others. The successful bidder is expected to be announced in September.
The close of bids comes only weeks after Queensland’s Coordinator-General issued the evaluation report for Northern Link, providing approval for the project to proceed.
Council is on track to commence construction before Christmas this year, with the project due for completion in 2014.
Tenders shortlisted for Northern Link
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman has announced a short list of three tenderers to bid for the right to operate the 5km Northern Link tunnel, from Toowong to Kelvin Grove.
The short listed bid teams of Northern Direct, Transcity and the Leighton Baulderstone Razel Joint Venture (LBRJV) have until May 2010 to complete detailed and fully costed bids from which Council would choose a ‘preferred bidder’ to build the tunnel.
The EOI respondents were evaluated on a number of key criteria, including capacity and experience on large scale projects; financial capacity to deliver the project; and experience and expertise across design, construction, operations and maintenance on major tunnelling projects.
The bid teams are comprised of representatives from France, Spain, Italy, the UK, USA and Germany, coupled with leading Australian companies responsible for delivering major infrastructure both locally and abroad.
Construction is still on track to start in late 2010 with the tunnel due to open in 2014.
Council attracts strong interest in the Northern Link tunnel
Expressions of Interest to build and operate the Northern Link tunnel have closed with the project drawing interest from an array of bidders including established Australian companies and international market leaders from as far afield as France, Spain, Singapore, Korea and Italy.
The result is an endorsement of Council's decision to proceed with the tunnel, which will link the Western Freeway at Toowong with the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove.
The tender process provided a strong field of top-level bidders which is anticipated to bring even more innovation to the design and construction of Northern Link and help secure the best possible outcome for Brisbane ratepayers.
Council will assess the submissions with the aim of finalising a shortlist of bidders later this year. Shortlisted bidders will be issued with a Request for Proposal and given several months to complete a detailed and fully costed bid which will enable Council to select a preferred bidder next year.
Under the current timeline, construction could commence by late 2010 with Northern Link on track to open in 2014, ahead of the scheduled completion date of 2016.
Council announces new Expressions of Interest for Northern Link
Brisbane City Council has announced a new Expressions of Interest for Northern Link.
Council will build the 5km tunnel from the Western Freeway at Toowong to the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove, with the support from the Queensland Government and the Federal Government.
Council will be asked on Tuesday 8 September to withdraw a call for Expressions of Interest for private sector consortia to build and finance the tunnel operation, a process which would have seen profits flow to the private sector.
Instead Council will call for companies to design, construct and operate the tunnel – with Brisbane ratepayers to retain full ownership, and receive the toll income from motorists.
Northern Link EIS Supplementary Report now available
Brisbane City Council has submitted the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Supplementary Report for Northern Link to the Coordinator-General, marking another major step towards completion of the EIS process.
The Supplementary Report was prepared following submissions to the Coordinator-General from both the community and state agencies. It responds to the submissions and includes findings from additional investigations on the Reference Project, which does not include local connections at Toowong and Kelvin Grove.
The Coordinator-General will review the Supplementary Report in order to make a decision on whether the project will proceed. His findings will be released in a report expected later this year.
Additional investigations centred on traffic and transport, air quality, noise and vibration, cultural heritage and sustainability measures, among other issues.
The Supplementary Report is now available to view at www.northernlinkeis.com.au. The report can also be viewed at a number of Council libraries and ward offices. A full list of locations can be found below.
If you have any queries, please contact the project team on 1800 692 333 (freecall).
Where can you view the EIS Supplementary Report?
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Libraries
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Toowong Library, Toowong Village Shopping Centre, 9 Sherwood Road, Toowong
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Indooroopilly Library, Level 4, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, 318 Moggill Road, Indooroopilly
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Mt Coot-tha Library, Administration Building, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong
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Grange Library, 79 Evelyn Street, Grange
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Brisbane Square Library, Brisbane Square, 266 George Street, Brisbane
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Ashgrove Library, 87 Amarina Avenue, Ashgrove
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QUT Kelvin Grove Library, Level 2, R Block, QUT Kelvin Grove, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove
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Ward offices
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Toowong Ward Office, 50 High Street, Toowong
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Central Ward Office, Shop 11, 31 Duncan Street, Fortitude Valley
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Walter Taylor Ward Office, Level 4, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, 318 Moggill Road, Indooroopilly
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State and federal electorate offices
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Mt Coot-tha State Electorate Office, 76 MacGregor Terrace, Bardon
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Brisbane Central State Electorate Office, Unit 2, Hill House, 541 Boundary Street, Spring Hill
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Brisbane Federal Electorate Office, Shop 1, 209 Days Road, Grange
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Ryan Federal Electorate Office, 636 Moggill Road, Chapel Hill
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Northern Link to proceed without local connections
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman recently announced that local road connections at Toowong and Kelvin Grove would be removed from the Northern Link project. As a result, Northern Link is now proposed to run from the Western Freeway to the Inner City Bypass, without any local connections.
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) provided to the Coordinator-General included an assessment of these local connections, while recognising that a project without local connections may eventually be pursued. Feedback received from local residents and businesses through the EIS process and continued investigations by Council has led to Council deciding to proceed with the project without local connections.
The next step is that Council will provide a Supplementary Report to the EIS to the Coordinator-General. This report will confirm that the local road connections will be removed and will also provide the Coordinator-General with information to finalise his evaluation report on Northern Link.
Council is also preparing to proceed with a new procurement process after positive international market sounding was undertaken earlier this year. The Lord Mayor is determined to create a competitive bidding process which will deliver value for money for Brisbane ratepayers. As a result, Council is presently engaged in discussions with a number of interested parties, both in Australia and internationally.
The timing of the procurement process will depend upon a number of factors, including certainty on the Infrastructure Australia process and the Coordinator-General’s evaluation report.
For further information about Northern Link, contact the project team on 1800 692 333 (freecall).