TENDERS have been received by the Highways Department for two major contracts, worth an estimated $1.5 billion each, for construction of the West Kowloon Expressway.
On May 14, six tenders were received for the northern section contract. The assessment is now in progress and a decision is expected in July.
The tendering groups are: SOGEA/ Campenon Bernard SGE/ Franki Contractors Ltd - (joint venture); Leighton Contractors (Asia) Ltd/ China State Construction Engineering Corporation/ Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft - (joint venture); Dragages et Travaux Publics/ Bachy Soletanche Group - (joint venture); Gammon Construction Ltd./ Samsung Engineering & Construction Co Ltd - (joint venture); Kumagai Gumi (HK) Ltd/ Maeda Corporation/ China Road and Bridge Corporation - (joint venture); Shui On Civil Contractors Ltd/ Balfour Beatty Ltd/ China Fujian Corporation for International Techno Economic Corporation/ Hsin Chong Construction Co Ltd/ Philipp Holzmann Aktiengesellschaft - (joint venture).
The northern section contract requires construction of an elevated dual three-lane expressway running from Cherry Street north to link with the Kwai Chung viaduct section of Route 3 at Mei Foo.
''The structure is similar to that of the Kwun Tong Bypass,'' said Sterling Brisbin, of the New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office (NAPCO).
The northern contract also includes a major interchange, the Lai Wan, which makes connections to the existing road network in West Kowloon, and links to future roadways, including Route 16, and the CRA-4 container port road.
On the southern section, eight tenders were received on June 11.