Projects: Roads

Objective 
The following objectives are pursued in this project:
- Guaranteeing the accessibility of city and port
- Relieving the southern Ring road
- Good lorry link for through traffic even during disasters on the southern Ring road
- Increasing traffic safety

Description
The Oosterweel link or closing of the small Ring road (R1) around Antwerp extends over a length of approx. 10 km and makes a link between a new traffic exchange to be built between the R1 (Kennedy tunnel) – E17 – N49 on the left bank through a new Scheldt river bank link (Oosterweel tunnel) and Oosterweel node on the right bank, with the R1 – E19 – A12 on the right bank. 


Status
On 3 March 2010 the Flemish Government reached an agreement on a new, more ambitious Masterplan 2020, respecting the vision, mission and objectives of the initial Masterplan Mobility Antwerp, but with an even more multimodal, holistic approach for a better mobility, livability and enhanced road security. The agreement included the decision to complete the ringroad around Antwerp with the so-called Oosterweel-route and go for the use of tunnels on the right bank rather than for a bridge, if feasable within the same time frame and budget. 

The Flemish Government asked the experts, engineers and external advisors of BAM to work this out  by the summer of 2010. A steering committee, consisting of the respective ministers,the chairman of the board of directors of BAM and two representatives of the Antwerp city council, will closely follow the process 

 
History
On 16 September 2005 the Flemish Government decided on the exact route for the Oosterweel connection. Out of all possible options the so-called 'optimised middle route' was chosen, as it met all targets from an economic, mobility and environmental perspective. Following the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), the EIR Project procedure for the Oosterweel link has been approved as well. The Regional Environment Execution Plan was approved by the Flemish Government on 16 June 2006.

On behalf of the Flemish Government ARUP UK and SUM Research did further research for the Oosterweel link in the first half of 2009. By the end of March 2009 the Government decided that:
- the Master Plan with its 16 projects remained one and undivided;
- expand the ATM-system (automatic traffic management) around Antwerp;
- look for solutions of current bottlenecks on E17 from Sint-Niklaas to Kennedytunnel, as well as the Tijsmanstunnel;
- no toll in Kennedytunnel and tunnel can only be used by cars; lorries are forbidden;
- Antwerp needs a third crossing of the river Schelde with a capacity of 2x3;
- BAM can start the building permit procedure;
- Antwerp gets an extra 120 days to write its advice for the building permit;
- restructuring of BAM to allow for ESA-neutral investments.



Project financing
For the call for tenders for the Oosterweel project BAM assumes the following principles:
- Integrated call for tenders of the design, as well as construction, (partial) financing and maintenance. The major principles of such a DB(f)M construction are based on:

• Risk allocation: risks are borne by the parties that are most suitable. It is the most cost-efficient way to guarantee high quality. Furthermore, until implementation a maximum of 80% of total costs is to be paid for the performance of the work based on progress. The remaining minimum 20% will be spread over an agreed maintenance period.
• Price-quality ratio is an essential part of the award, in addition to reliability, financial-economic capacity and technical competence. 
• The contractor will not only be responsible for the smooth execution of the contract, but also for the quality of the infrastructure during the entire life cycle.

In its decision of 2 March 2007 the Flemish Government put a cap of 1.850 Bio EUR on the estimated cost price of the infrastructure, excluding VAT and excluding the cost for financing.

Financing Structure

Flanders opts to finance this investment by a joint venture between government and private companies (Public Private Partnership). Investment costs are paid back over time by toll collection.

The financing structure makes a careful distinction between the construction and availability risk that is fully borne by the private sector and the financial institutions, and the traffic risk that is also carried by BAM and its financial institutions. The diagram below explains this structure.

Quality Chamber
For the first time in Flanders, an independent team of experts looked at the quality of the architectural design of the different groups and its urban implementation. This prestigious group of national and international experts, chaired by the Governor of Antwerp Mr Camille Paulus, advised the Board of Directors of BAM through the entire selection procedure.

Execution period 
In September 2004 six construction groups responded to the call for tenders for the construction of the Oosterweel link. By the end of December 2004 four were withheld for further negotiations. By Friday 23 June the prequalified construction groups had to hand in their first offer. First offers were received from THV Antwerpse Bouwwerken, THV Loro and THV Noriant. Two of these groups, THV Loro and THV Noriant, moved to the next step of the procedure. The Quality Chamber then looked at the ambition level of the architectural designs. They unanimously concluded that only one of the remaining construction groups, THV Noriant, reached the minimal ambition level.  Based amongst others on this advice, the Board of Directors of BAM decided on 17 November 2006 to continue negotiations with THV Noriant only. On 1 October 2007 THV Noriant handed in its Best & Final Offer (BAFO). On 21 December the Board of Directors agreed to allow Noriant to move up to the next step in the procedure as preferred bidder. 

In April 2009 BAM and Noriant signed a Design Sign Off (DSO) for the realisation of the Oosterweel link for a cost of EUR 2.2 bio (price level of 1 January 2009).

With the decision of the Flemish Government of 30 March 2010, negotiations with Noriant will possibly restart for that part of the Oosterweel link that remains unchanged, ie from the left bank to the Oosterweel junction on the right bank. 


Toll rates for the Oosterweel Link
In its decision of 22 July 2005, The Flemish Region agreed to the toll rates that were proposed by BAM, and which are as follows (on the basis of indexation at a rate of 2%):

Toll rate 2012
- Passenger cars: €2.44
- Lorries from 3.5 tons to 12 tons: €15.85
- Lorries over 12 tons (1) €15.85 – 19.02


(1) The Flemish Government has proposed a bracket for lorries over 12 tons.

The European toll directive applies to the Trans-European Road Network (TEN), and is therefore applicable to the Oosterweel Link. The directive states that the toll rates used should be based on the principle of recovery of the capital expenditure of the related infrastructure.

Objective
Back in September 2003 the Flemish Government presented its view of sustainable development of the infrastructure and space of the Antwerp ring road and the Singel. The short film Linking and Renewing showed a green Singel, where the distributing function for the busy city traffic was integrated into the verges of the R1.

This means increased capacity and greater safety for traffic, but also more space for the city and its residents around the current Singel. This will turn into a green urban boulevard with attractive trees and broad paths and cycle lanes separated off from the road traffic. Trams and buses will be given their own lanes, so that public transport will become faster and more punctual. The main aim: less transiting traffic for a better quality of life.

Description
The redevelopment and completion of the Singel runs from the Scheldt to Noorderlaan through Slachthuislaan and IJzerlaan. The project takes into account the desired environmental planning of the immediate surroundings. The current Singel sorting function for city traffic is integrated into the R1 foundation.

The new Singel will become a green boulevard for local traffic with strongly developed public transport. Local traffic on the Ring road will be separated from through traffic by an information technology and communications system. It will result in improved safety and greater capacity.

Status
The project is on hold until  the definitive decision in the Oosterweelproject is known. 

Budget estimate 
296.30 mio EUR excluding VAT 
The cost of the urban ring road North is included in the cost price of the Oosterweel link.

Execution period
After the realisation of the Oosterweel link.