RFQ issued for Highway 427 expansion project

dailycommercialnews.com
July 21, 2015

A request for qualifications (RFQ) has been issued by Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) for the design, build and maintenance of the Highway 427 expansion project.

The project consists of a new 6.6-kilometre extension from Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive. This includes six lanes from Highway 7 to Rutherford Road; four lanes from Rutherford Road to Major Mackenzie Drive; and three interchanges at Langstaff Road, Rutherford Road and Major Mackenzie Drive.

A four-kilometre road widening from south of Albion Road to Highway 7 is also included in the project.

It will widen from six to eight lanes from south of Albion Road to south of Steeles Avenue; from four to eight lanes, from south of Steeles Avenue; and include median High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.

The RFQ is the first step in the procurement process to select a team to deliver the project, explains a release. Submissions will be evaluated to prequalify project teams with the relevant design and construction experience, and the capacity to finance and deliver a project of this size and complexity. Teams who qualify will be invited to respond to a request for proposals, which is expected to be issued in fall 2015.

"Extending Highway 427 north of Highway 7 was noted as a priority in the 2006 Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and provides economic benefits to the province by offering an enhanced freeway route into York Region, the Vaughan Business area and the CPR Vaughan Intermodal Facility," the release reads.

The project is being delivered under IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement model. This transfers the risks associated with design, construction, financing and maintenance of the project to the private sector.

IO and MTO are working together to develop the project, which will remain publicly owned and controlled.