The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and Infrastructure Ontario have issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the design, construction and maintenance of the Highway 427 expansion project. The project entails a new 6.6-kilometre section of highway, comprising a six-lane section and a four-lane section, plus three interchanges. It also includes the widening of an existing four-kilometre stretch of road from six to eight lanes, and another from four to eight lanes, plus the addition of High Occupancy Lanes.
The Highway 427 project is part of the province’s ten-year $130 billion infrastructure investment. The highway extension, taking it north of Highway 7, was identified as a priority in the 2006 Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The government says it will help reduce congestion and improve commute times.
The next step in the procurement process after RFQ proposals have been assessed will be a request for proposals (RFP). The project will be delivered under Infrastructure Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement model, a public-private partnership arrangement in which risks associated with design, construction, financing and maintenance are assumed by the private sector.
The Minister of Transportation said that the expansion of Highway 427 would “strengthen the economy and help keep goods and people moving for years to come.” His words were echoed by the Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure, who noted that the expanded highway would stimulate development along the highway corridor.
