The Government of Aruba has selected Mota Engil as the preferred bidder to develop a new road public private parternship (PPP) project for the island, the Watty Vos Boulevard.

The team beat out competition from two other shortlisted bidders: Construtora Queiroz Galvão S.A. and Grupo Odinsa S.A.

The work involves rebuilding some 7 km of road along a 17 km stretch as well as upgrading 12 intersections and building two overpasses around Oranjestad between intersection Sabana Blanco and intersection Punta Brabo.

The project will be developed on a design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM) basis for a period of 22 years, the construction period is estimated at about 2 years, and the other 20 involves the maintenance of the road.

The total cost of the project is estimated at around US$120 million.

PwC is the transaction advisor to the contracting authority. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the local legal firm Sjiem Fat &Co. are part of the advisory team.

The objectives of the project are the improvement of traffic flows and shortens travel times and improves road safety through delivery of new infrastructure between Reina Beatrix and L.G. Smith Boulevard / J.E. Irausquin Boulevard, the relocation of the existing port of Aruba to Barcadera, and the improvement of the appearance and traffic safety in low-rise hotel zone.

Yesterday, we published that Grupo Odinsa S.A. had closed financing for the Aruba Green Corridor PPP project also in Aruba.