Leighton joint venture awarded $3.5bn Australian highway contract

A joint venture between Leighton Contractors, Dragados and Samsung Construction & Trading has been selected to design and construct the US$3.5bn New M5 urban motorway in Sydney, New South Wales.

The project will involve the construction of 9km highways through twin two-lane tunnels running from the existing M5 at Kingsgrove to a new interchange at St Peters. The aim is to improve east‐west connection between the centre of Sydney, the Port Botany and Sydney Airport precincts and the South West growth areas.

Leighton Contractors is the construction arm of Australia’s CIMIC group, which, like Dragados, is ultimately owned by Spanish giant ACS.

The project is part of the second stage of WestConnex, Australia’s largest integrated transport and urban revitalisation project.

The client for the work is the Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC), on behalf of the New South Wales Government.

The planned WestConnex development

Román Garrido, Leighton Contractors’ managing director, said: "Delivery of the New M5 tunnel will provide a high quality link in Sydney’s road network operations, which will double the capacity of the M5 East corridor.  

"Working closely with SMC our experienced team is contributing innovative design solutions and construction methodologies to enhance the motorway’s efficient construction and operations as well as community and environmental outcomes."

Major works are expected to commence in mid‐2016 and the New M5 tunnel is scheduled to open to traffic in late 2019.  

WestConnex is being delivered in three stages, with final completion scheduled for 2023.

Images via Westconnex