Winnipeg, MB - Today the City of Winnipeg announced significant cost savings of $120 million for the Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Underpass Project with the award of the construction contract to Plenary Roads Winnipeg.
With a revised cost estimate of $467.3 million the Project is on track for on-time delivery well within the original budget amount. The substantial cost savings were realized through the refinement of the final design and a competitive P3 bidding process that allowed for project innovations and lower construction costs. In addition, the project was also advertised during very favourable market conditions that included lower interest rates and a reduction in the volume of work currently in the national market place. Construction of the Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) will begin this summer.
Following an RFP process which concluded in March 2016, Plenary Roads Winnipeg was selected as the preferred bidder to construct the Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) & Pembina Highway Underpass project. Plenary Roads Winnipeg achieved the highest score for its combined technical and financial submission for the project.
A key component of Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass P3 Project is that the private partner will maintain it over a 30-year concession period from 2019 until 2049, at which point it will be turned back over to the City in a condition acceptable to the City. The operations/maintenance component will not include the operation or maintenance of Winnipeg Transit buses, which will remain the responsibility of Winnipeg Transit.
Completion of the project will represent a significant step forward in building the transportation network outlined in the City’s Transportation Master Plan, and will help promote the increased densification of Winnipeg by facilitating the future development of several large-scale, infill, transit-oriented developments identified in Our Winnipeg - Complete Communities.
Construction of the Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass Project is expected to be completed in late 2019. Following a period of testing, training and commissioning, Transit operations on the new transitway are expected to commence in April 2020.
The Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass Project is comprised of significant infrastructure components in the southwest quadrant of the city including: the completion of Stage 2 of the Southwest Transitway, the addition of active transportation infrastructure, the renewal and expansion of the Pembina Underpass, and connections to the University of Manitoba and Investors Group Field.
Visit winnipegtransit.com for more information.