Two interested in concession for Anchorage Knik Arm Bridge

Anchorage across the Arm

The Anchorage Alaska area has two groups expressing interest in a toll concession to build the $500m 3.2km (2.3 mile) Knik Arm Bridge and major approch road works.

The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) says the two groups are:

(1) Knik Arm Crossing Consortium comprising

- Bouygues Travaux Public SA, France - contractors, financiers

- URS Corp, San Francisco - engineering

- ARUP Engineering UK -consultants, project management

- USKH, Alaska

- Entrix, Houston TX

(2) Knik Arm Crossing Contractors comprising:

- Macquarie Bank, Australia

- Macquaire Securities (USA), New York

- Kiewit Pacific, Seattle & Omaha

- Manson Construction, Seattle

- Parsons, Los Angeles

- Golder Associates, Alaska

- VMS, Inc. Richmond, VA

KABATA exec-director Henry Springer says they are pleased with the interest of the two groups and are beginning a systematic review of the two statements of qualifications.

A decision on whether to make a Request for Proposal of one or both of the groups will be made by mid-April, a KABATA official says. After the RFP is the assessment, and negotiation. Final environmental permitting is running in parallel with the concession process.

The state of Alaska has authorized $130m of taxpayer money to help the project.

KABATA's enabling legislation allows it to enter into a toll concession with a private party, or to act as a public toll authority and finance the project itself. The board of directors decided to go the concession route because the project is one-off.

An official says he heard there were more willing investors intersted in bidding, but a dearth of big construction companies for them to team with.

see http://www.knikarmbridge.com

TOLLROADSnews 2007-03-15