COLAS : Signature of the contract for the L2 Marseille bypass

10/08/2013

The Société de la Rocade L2 de Marseille, formed by Bouygues Construction (Bouygues Travaux Publics, the lead company, Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France, DTP Terrassement and Bouygues Energies & Services), Colas Midi-Méditerranée, Spie batignolles, Egis, Meridiam Infrastructure and CDC Infrastructure, has signed a partnership contract with the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy for the new Marseille bypass, known as the L2 or the A507.

This 30-year public-private partnership covers the financing, design, construction, upkeep, maintenance and renewal of the engineering structures and equipment of the infrastructure. The largest infrastructure project awarded in France in 2013, the total investment amounts to €620 million.

The L2 will take traffic away from the centre of Marseille and decongest the city thanks to the creation of a toll-free urban expressway approximately 10 kilometres long, which will link the A7 motorway (leading north to Aix-en-Provence) and the A50 (an eastbound motorway towards Aubagne and Toulon). It will also allow the urban regeneration of neighbourhoods served by the road. The L2 will make it possible for a number of projects to be carried out which will encourage the development of public transport services.

Two distinct stretches will be designed and built: a completely new section to the north of the city (4.1 km) and completion of the construction of the east section, 5.5 kilometres long, begun some twenty years ago.

The new link will deploy the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting and ventilation systems. There will be more than 500 people working onsite at peak periods. The works will last four years, with handover of the whole bypass scheduled for October 2017.

When all construction is complete, the infrastructure will be operated by the Mediterranean division of the French Interdepartmental Highways Authority, the agency responsible for the national road network, while maintenance and renewals will be carried out by the Société de la Rocade L2 de Marseille.

The project will be jointly financed by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, the Bouches-du-Rhône Department  and  the  Marseille  Provence  Métropole Urban  Community through the payment of grants during the period of construction. When the L2 East section comes into service, the French Government will pay a royalty which will primarily allow the reimbursement of the financial bond of approximately €165 million invested by the Société de la Rocade L2 de Marseille with the Allianz group; as well as covering the cost of upkeep, maintenance and renewal of the infrastructure.

Yves  Gabriel,  Chairman  and Chief  Executive  Officer  Bouygues  Construction,  said:  "The residents of Marseille and all those who travel through the city each day have been waiting for the L2 bypass for decades. All the contractors in our consortium are proud be taking part in making it a reality. We will make it a benchmark urban expressway and a model for development that will benefit all the residents of greater Marseille."