Hochtief in major German road extension

Construction work worth €600 million on a German federal highway extension has been awarded to the ViA6West consortium, which is made up of Hochtief PPP Solutions, DIF Infrastructure IV and Johann Bunte Bauunternehmung.

The consortium has been awarded the contract to plan, finance, build, operate and maintain the A6 federal highway extension between the Wiesloch/Rauenberg intersection and the Weinsberg interchange in Baden-Württemberg.

The project volume totals around €1.3 billion, and construction accounts for around €600 million of this.

The partners will widen a 25.5km stretch to six lanes, with no interruption to traffic, and will refurbish the 1.3km Neckartal Bridge between Heilbronn/Untereisesheim and Neckarsulm.

The project also entails the operation and maintenance of the A6 over a total distance of 47.2km, some sections of which have already have been expanded.

DIF has a 50% share in the ViA6West project company, while Hochtief has 30% and Johann Bunte 20%.

The construction work is due to start at the beginning of 2017 with completion in summer 2022. It will be handled by a joint venture between Hochtief Infrastructure and Johann Bunte. After completion, ViA6West will operate and maintain the full section of highway until 2046.

Marcelino Fernández Verdes, CEO of Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft, said, “We are delighted that the federal government is entering into another public-private partnership (PPP) with us in the area of federal highways.”

Financial close is expected in December 2016.