The consortium comprising of Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Galliford Try (Morrison Construction) will develop detail design for the £745m Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and Balmedie/Tipperty project.
The project will be delivered in close collaboration with Transport Scotland, Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council and procured under the Scottish government's non-profit distribution (NPD) model.
Scotland’s transport minister Keith Brown said: “The announcement today ensures we remain well on course, with the contract expected be awarded and construction starting in earnest before the year is out.”
The AWPR project includes the design and construction of 46km of new dual carriageway between Stonehaven and Charleston, in the south, and Blackdog in the north and a further 12km of upgraded existing dual carriageway between Blackdog and Tipperty.
The deal will also see the construction of 40km of new side roads, 30km of access tracks and 72 new bridges, including two significant focal point bridges over the rivers Dee and Don.
The construction work is set to start later this year, with completion expected in spring 2018.
Mr Brown said: “Over the next three decades, our investment in the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project is expected to bring in an additional £6bn to the local economy and create around 14,000 new jobs.
“During construction we would expect to see benefits similar in scale to the recently completed M74 scheme, which directly generated 900 construction jobs. It will also provide on-the-job training for apprentices and local employment opportunities.
He added: “We want to see more of this success across Scotland, including the north east. Our commitment to improvements at the Haudagain Roundabout once the AWPR is finished, a new Inveramsay Bridge on the A96, and a longer term £3 billion commitment to dual the key route between Aberdeen and Inverness will all support local businesses and the economy across the region, and well as deliver tangible improvements – up to 27 minutes off journey times – for the thousands of drivers who use the roads across the north east.”
Photo Source: Construction Enquirer
