WATERFORD PPP TOLL ROAD

The Project comprises the design, construction, finance and operation (DBFO) of a 23 Km of dual two lane all-purpose road that will constitute a bypass of Waterford city. The Project also includes the construction of a new bridge crossing upstream Suir river and 4 km of link roads.

National Primary Route N25 currently crosses the city of Waterford passing through the congested quays and through the only bridge open to the motor traffic. The objective of the scheme is to provide an N25 bypass of Waterford city for through traffic while also catering for the needs of the city. Expected immediate benefits are:

• improvement of traffic flows in heavily congested zones of Waterford quays and city centre,
• reductions in travel time,
• reductions in vehicle operating costs.

At the same time, traffic safety is expected to increase.

The winning concessionaire will be responsible for designing, constructing and operating the project in accordance with the environmental impact assessment delivered under the statutory approval process in Ireland. Currently this assessment is awaited from the competent authority, An Bord Pleanala.

The project was advertised in the Official Journal of the EU on 30 November 2000 in accordance with Directive 93/37/EEC. NRA received pre-qualification submissions from 12 consortia, four of which were subsequently invited to submit tenders by 29 March 2002. The NRA expects to choose a preferred bidder by September 2002 and sign the concession agreement (the DBFO contract) in October 2002.