The new North East Link freeway will connect an upgraded Eastern Freeway to the M80 Ring Road in Melbourne’s north-east, significantly reducing travel times, increasing freight reliability, and removing over 15,000 trucks from local roads every day.
SMEC, together with their joint venture partners Mott Macdonald, delivered the winning design for the Spark Consortium during the pandemic. The innovative design has now been announced by the Victorian Government and includes a longer tunnel to Watsonia, a new tree-lined boulevard for Greensborough Road and new, revived, and reconnected parklands which covers more area than 50 Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
SMEC CEO Australia & New Zealand, James Phillis commented “The North East Link project will change the face of Melbourne and have a huge impact on the future growth of the city. Our team of highly skilled specialists are excited to be a part of the positive impact this project will create for so many people.”
The project includes Victoria’s longest road tunnels, three-lane twin tunnels which run for sixkilometres under Melbourne. North East Link is a once-in-a-generation project which will facilitate better connections for businesses, increase efficiencies for freight transport and make neighbourhoods in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne safer and more enjoyable places to live. The new tunnels will help protect homes and sensitive environmental areas including the Yarra
River, Banyule Flats and Warringal Parklands.
“SMEC has brought together a truly talented local team supplemented by internationally recognised specialists to support this successful tender. We are all excited at the opportunity to step into the delivery phase of this landmark project,” said James. “We bring a wealth of experience in tunnelling and major freeway design which will be invaluable to this project and its success.”
The Spark consortium comprises WeBuild, GS Engineering and Construction, CPB Contractors, China Construction Oceania, Ventia, Capella Capital, John Laing Investments, DIF and Pacific Partnerships.
SMEC has been engaged to supervise civil works for upgrading the Central Cross Island Road (CCIR) in Samoa. The CCIR is one of the main economic arteries on Upolu Island and one of several key roads damaged when Tropical Cyclone Evan struck the Pacific Island nation in 2012. The project is being carried out in association with local sub-consultant MMSM Ltd for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Samoa and is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The Uzbekistan Ministry of Water Resources has appointed SMEC as Project Implementation Consultant for the Climate Adaptative Water Resources Management project. The project will combine investment from the Republic of Uzbekistan government and the Asian Development Bank to improve climate resilience in the Aral Sea Basin.
The Baime Hydropower Project in Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea is scheduled for commissioning by March 2023. With total installed capacity of 11.6 MW, the plant will be able to produce 81 GWh of hydroelectric energy annually.
The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) has appointed SMEC in a Joint Venture with ACE Bangladesh and Development Design Consultants Ltd as Project Management Consultant for the Dhaka Sanitation Improvement project (DSIP).