Bids in for third crossing

04 January 2002

Evaluation of bids is under way at Abu Dhabi's Works Department for the largest package on the third crossing project (MEED 17:8:01).

Four groups of international companies submitted bids by the end-December deadline. Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction (Overseas) is the low bidder at AED 636 million ($173.4 million). Its offer is about 15 per cent cheaper than the next price of AED 748 million ($203.9 million) quoted by a team of Six Construct of Belgium, with South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company.

Package 3 covers the construction of an 850-metre-long bridge with a central span of 150 metres. The main bridge will be a hybrid structure comprising central asymmetric arch ribs supporting pre-stressed concrete box girder decks.

The third crossing will connect Abu Dhabi island to the mainland at the northern end of the Maqta channel. The four-lane, dual-carriageway road bridge will link up with the inter-emirates highway in Dubai.

Package 1, worth AED 157 million ($49.2 million), is being carried out by the local Al-Jaber Transport & General Contracting Establishment and Six Construct. It involves the construction of a 350-metre-long bridge over the Umm al-Nar roundabout and a bridge link to the existing Maqta bridge (MEED 5:1:01).

In November, a contract worth AED 107 million ($29.1 million) was awarded to the local Hilalco for the second package, covering the construction of approach roads and an interchange with the eastern ring road.

The civil and structural engineer is the UK's High-Point Rendel.

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