Teams shortlisted for Hwy. 427 extension project

Three teams have been shortlisted to bid on the 6.6 km extension of Highway 427 north of Toronto, according to an announcement made this morning in Vaughan.

Included in the roadwork that will extend the highway north from Highway 7 to Major Makenzie Drive is a widening project to add much needed lanes south to Albion Road. High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane infrastructure will be included in the construction work. Construction is expected to begin in 2017 and the road will be open to traffic in 2020. A 15.5 km stretch of dedicated HOT lanes with electronic tolling in both directions on Highway 427, from south of Highway 409 to north of Rutherford Road, will open in 2021.

The three teams short-listed to respond to a request for proposals for the project are:

• Blackbird Infrastructure Group
  • Cintra • CRH • Ferrovial Agroman • Dufferin • AIA Engineers • Urban Systems Ltd
• 427 Link-PAW
  • Plenary • AECON • Walsh • Hatch Mott MacDonald
• Link 427-AM
  • ACS • Miller • Dragados • Miller Construction • BOT • MMM Group

Teams will spend most of 2016 preparing proposals that will detail how they will design, build and finance the project, as well as how they will maintain the highway expansion for a 30-year period. Upon evaluation of the proposals by Infrastructure Ontario and the ministry of transportation, a successful proponent will be announced at financial close in early 2017. The project is being delivered under Infrastructure Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement model.

Expanding Highway 427 is part of the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario’s history — about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals.

In 2015, the province announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life.