Skip to main content

New South Wales is seeking financial packers for WestConnex in Sydney

Investment bank Goldman Sachs will soon be sending out expressions of interest for backers to finance Australia’s biggest road deal, the three-stage WestConnex project to be rollout by the New South Wales government. According to a report by The Australian newspaper, initially around US$1.17 billion will be needed for the first phase of the Sydney toll road project. The first phase will likely cost between nearly $2.35 billion and $3.9 billion. Total cost of all three phases over 10 years could be as
June 19, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
Investment bank 3347 Goldman Sachs will soon be sending out expressions of interest for backers to finance Australia’s biggest road deal, the three-stage WestConnex project to be rollout by the New South Wales government.

According to a report by The Australian newspaper, initially around US$1.17 billion will be needed for the first phase of the Sydney toll road project. The first phase will likely cost between nearly $2.35 billion and $3.9 billion.

Total cost of all three phases over 10 years could be as much as $11.6 billion and the 33kmk of new roads will connect the south-west and western parts of Sydney with the airport, city and port.

Among the Australian lenders expected to be interested in the public-private partnership are Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac and NAB.

The Australian reported that details will soon emerge surrounding traffic forecasts on the first phase, along with the award of construction contracts.

Exactly what shape the PPP contract will take remains to be seen. It is a sensitive issue, The Australian said, since the collapse of the two PPP toll projects in Sydney. Both Lane Cove Tunnel, a 3.6km twin-tunnel, and Cross City Tunnel, a 2.1km twin-tunnel, went into receivership when traffic forecasts proved inaccurate.

The Australian report said one PPP option is for a shadow toll, where construction company receives a payment per driver from the government.

Earlier this month 3260 World Highways reported that a joint venture featuring 4755 John Holland, 1026 Samsung C&T and 2685 Leighton Contractors had secured a deal to build and design Sydney’s M4 East motorway.

The M4 East is expected to be completed in 2019 when it will form part of a project to build the WestConnex road tunnel.

Last December, Duncan Gay, roads minister of New South Wales, announced changes to the third phase of the WestConnex motorway. Tunnel will be 8km, around 1km longer than initially planned.

However, the changes likely won’t add to the overall price tag for the project, according to the NSW government. The third stage would cover the route between Haberfield and St. Peters and be constructed between 2018 and 2023. The tunnel will be linked to two other large motorway tunnels that include an M4 extension to Harbefield and M5 East tunnel to St. Peters.

Works to build WestConnex will start next year with the $3.3 billion widening and extension of the M4 to four lanes each way from Parramatta to Haberfield, including a tunnel beneath-Parramatta Road.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • VIDEO: Virginia approves Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel expansion
    December 12, 2016
    The US state of Virginia has approved a US$4 billion project to expand the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel close to the city of Norfolk.

    The state has been looking at designs for the past 20 years to improve traffic flow in the area, according to a report in the Virginian-Pilot newspaper. Hampton Roads is a body of water making up one of the world's largest natural harbours. The existing structure is close to the US Navy's Atlantic Fleet home base at Norfolk.
  • Mexico looks to P3 for four road maintenance deals in 2017
    August 19, 2016
    Mexico will set up four road maintenance tenders worth nearly US$827 million in total as public-private partnerships in 2017. Contracts will cover the road projects Piramides-Tulancingo-Puebla, Matehuala-Saltillo, Saltillo-Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo and Texcoco-Zacatepec, according to the El Economista newspaper. The Secretariat of Communications and Transport, which will organise the work, said it has already launched two bidding processes for the maintenance of Coatzacoalcos-Villahermosa and Queretaro-S
  • Waskita Karya seeks loan for Pejagan-Pemalang toll road on Java
    January 12, 2015
    Indonesian state-owned construction firm Waskita Karya will seek a bank loan of US$338 million for its work on the Pejagan-Pemalang toll project in central Java island. The project is being managed by Pejagan Pemalang Toll Road, a subsidiary of Waskita Karya. Waskita company secretary Antonius Yulianto Nugroho said the firm has enough cash resources to cover a quarter of its financial commitment on the project and is targeting bank loans to cover the other 75%. Waskita Karya plans to carry out a bond
  • Costa Rica: Conavi gets more time and funds for road maintenance
    October 26, 2015
    Costa Rica’s road agency Conavi has extended the deadline and increase funds by $154 million for road repair and maintenance contracts. Contracts will be extended for the companies involved which include Constructora Meco, Grupo Orosi, Quebradores del Sur, Constructora Hernan Solis and Conansa. The Treasury Inspector's Office made the announcement, according to El Pais newspaper. Meanwhile, four banks are considering an investment in the 60km San Jose-San Ramon Road Expansion Project. They include