Contract signed for A24 motorway link at Blankenburg
On 14 December 2017, the BAAK Blankenburg-Verbinding consortium (consisting of Ballast-Nedam, DEME, and Macquarie Capital) signed a DBFM contract with the Directorate-General of Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat, RWS) for the Blankenburg motorway link. Witteveen+Bos is supporting BAAK in the elaboration of the integrated design via TEC (Tunnel Engineering Consultants), which is a joint venture of Witteveen+Bos and RHDHV).
RWS and the consortium today signed the contract for the A24 Blankenburg motorway link. The Blankenburg link will help create a robust network and improve the accessibility of the port of Rotterdam and the greater Rotterdam area. Following the signature of this contract, the parties will reach financial agreement in 2018. The Blankenburg motorway link is expected to be opened between 2022 and late 2024.
Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management: ‘This is an important step in the process leading up to the realisation of the Blankenburg link. This new road to the port of Rotterdam will help improve the traffic circulation in this region, which is of such great economic importance.
Martijn Klinkhamer, speaking on behalf of the BAAK Blankenburg-Verbinding consortium: ‘We are incredibly proud to have achieved this significant step in the Blankenburg project. Our consortium is composed of leading construction companies with expertise in tunnel construction and infrastructure, and of a financial consultant specialising in infrastructure. We look forward to working closely with RWS and the various stakeholders and contributing to a better future for one of the most important economic areas of the Netherlands. I am very confident that BAAK will be able to improve the traffic flow and the transport infrastructure around Rotterdam.’
The project, with a total nominal project value of approx. EUR 1 billion. consists of the design and realisation of the A24 Blankenburg link, including 20 years of management and maintenance after the new infrastructure has been delivered. The project shareholders are Macquarie Capital, with a 70% interest, and Ballast Nedam Concessies and DEME Concessions Infrastructure, with 15% each. The project will be implemented by a consortium consisting of Ballast Nedam Infra, and DIMCO and Dredging International, which are both part of DEME. In addition, Macquarie Capital will act as the sole financial consultant of the BAAK Blankenburg-Verbinding consortium.
The new 4-kilometre-long A24 motorway, including the Blankenburg tunnel, will connect the A20 with the A15. The link will be part of Rotterdam’s key infrastructure. The A24 will improve the area’s accessibility and reduce congestion. The project includes the realisation of an immersed tunnel under the river Het Scheur (which becomes the Nieuwe Waterweg further downstream), a land tunnel, two traffic junctions (A24-A20 and A24-A15), and the widening of the A20 motorway between the start of the A24 and Kethelplein junction.
The project plays an important role in the realisation of the ‘Rotterdam Ahead’ master plan, a development vision for the Rotterdam region for the 2020-2040 period, which was devised back in 2009. The construction work for the road will start in August 2018.