Leighton Contractors win contract for Melbourne’s $1.3bn CityLink Tulla project

Transurban awarded a $570m contract to Cimic Group company Leighton Contractors to deliver a portion of the $1.3bn CityLink Tulla Widening project in Melbourne, Australia.

Cimic Group executive chairman and chief executive officer Marcelino Fernández Verdes said: "The CityLink Tulla Widening project is an example of Australia’s significant investment in new and upgraded transport infrastructure, which is creating demand for our capabilities.

"Extending the CityLink and Tullamarine Freeway’s capacity will draw further value from an existing asset and efficiently deliver benefits to Melbourne’s commuters and freight network."

Set to add additional lanes, the project is expected to increase capacity by up to 30% and will create 1,400 direct and indirect jobs.

Extending from Melbourne Airport on the Tullamarine Freeway to Power Street on the Westgate Freeway, the project will be delivered in two sections.

As part of the project, Transurban will be responsible for the works from Bulla Road to Power Street, with the Victorian government delivering the works from Melbourne Airport to Bulla Road.

Leighton Contractors will deliver the works between Bulla Road and Power Street.

Due to begin in October, construction on the section is slated for completion by 2018.

The CityLink Tulla corridor carries 210,000 vehicles a day.

The project also includes a new bridge over the freeway at Bell Street, making major improvements to the English Street interchange in addition to the widening of the entry ramp from the Bolte Bridge to the West Gate Freeway.

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss said that the government will provide $200m towards the Tullamarine Freeway upgrades.

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Image: e-TAG toll gantries on the Tullamarine Freeway section of Melbourne’s CityLink. Photo: courtesy of Marcus Wong Wongm via Wikipedia.