Autoroute 30 (A-30)
Location: Greater Montreal Area
Status: In Operation
Value of Partnership: $1.5 billion NPV
Type of P3: DBFMOR and FMOR
Handback: 2043
Awards: 2008 Gold Award for Project Financing, National Awards for Innovation & Excellence in P3s
The 42-kilometre western extension of Montreal’s Autoroute 30 (A-30) project was one of the most important transport infrastructure projects undertaken in Quebec in the past 50 years. The completion of the new A-30 toll road greatly alleviates congestion in the Greater Montreal Area, with a consequent reduction in air pollution.
The highway links the A-20 and A-540 routes from Toronto and Ottawa, where they converge at Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. The new A-30 routes traffic along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, tying into the existing A-30 at Chateauguay leading to Quebec City.
Scope of work included the construction of a 42-kilometre, dual two-lane highway, two large bridges crossing the St. Lawrence River (1,800 metres long) and the St Lawrence Seaway/Beauharnois Canal (2,500 metres long). Other project features include 30 other bridge structures over rivers, existing roads and railways, as well as a short tunnel under a canal.
Construction started in 2008, reaching completion in 2012. The project was delivered on-time and on-budget.
Nouvelle Autoroute 30, SENC, is responsible for the Design-Build-Finance-Maintain-Operate-Rehabilitate (DBFMOR) project for 35 years, as well as the financing, maintenance, operation and rehabilitation of 35 kilometres of supplementary sections of the A-30.
Within 100 days of announcing the preferred proponent in 2008, the $1.5 billion (NPV or net present value) project reached financial close and the credit facility was fully syndicated, a significant achievement given the instability of credit markets at the time (2007–2008 global financial crisis).
It was estimated in 2008 that using a P3 would achieve $751 million in savings compared with a traditional design-build approach.
In addition, a driver travelling between Vaudreuil-Dorion and Bouchervil saves, on average, 23 to 31 minutes during rush hour rather than crossing the Island of Montréal.
Partners: Ministère des Transports du Québec and Nouvelle Autoroute 30, SENC, consisting of Aecon, Acciona Infrastructures Canada Inc., Dragados Canada Inc. (an ACS subsidiary) and Verreault Inc.
Background
Between 1968 and 1996, approximately 100 kilometres of the Autoroute 30 highway were brought into service, with exception of certain portions remaining unfinished and no bypass route for Montréal. This meant commercial and passenger vehicles all had to cross the city core resulting in congestion, wasted time and increased pollution.
Despite their proximity to major markets in the United States and Ontario, businesses in the western portion of the Montérégie area couldn’t move their goods efficiently, depressing both interprovincial and cross-border trade. Plans to complete Autoroute 30 had stalled repeatedly over four decades, with a significant negative economic impact.
After the Ministry of Transportation carried out a number of studies that determined a P3 model offered distinct advantages, including significant value for money savings, the project was finally able to proceed with an RFP issued in November 2006.
An estimated 18,900 direct and indirect jobs were created for the duration of the project, with 75 per cent of construction expenditures made locally or regionally.
