Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) was commissioned to investigate and produce a Strategic Scheme Assessment report on the Central Motorway Junction in Auckland. This was a unique and exciting project requiring worldwide expertise and innovation. It had the highest priority on Transit New Zealand’s major projects list, clearly demonstrating the importance it attached to the success of the project.
SKM led the delivery, utilising a multidisciplinary team that included sub consultants; Halcrow from the UK and Bloxam Burnett and Olliver of New Zealand to provide high calibre outputs for this prestigious project.
The team was responsible for developing a strategic solution for the Central Motorway Junction. This included a comprehensive strategic scheme assessment for the construction of new links and realignment of others and provision of additional capacity, all to improve safety and to reduce congestion. It also included engineering and environmental planning, traffic analysis, consultation and prioritisation of a series of major interchange projects for both short and medium term.
To provide maximum opportunity for our innovation, the Contract was based primarily on the delivery of key outcomes. Transit believed that the key to success for this project was the development of an appropriate methodology to best achieve these outcomes. SKM’s proposal for the work highlighted these and was a significant aspect in our appointment. Additionally, as the risks for a project of this size and complexity are significant, Transit required the successful consultant to have exceptional risk management skills.
Following successful and timely completion of the Strategic Scheme Assessment Report, SKM’s commission was extended to provide advice on procurement options for the Project, cost estimation services, prepare full contract documents and a Specimen Design for a Design and Construct contract. This work proceeded to include calling tenders and providing administrative and engineering support to and partaking in the tender evaluation team with the client during the highly intensive interactive tendering process with international Joint Venture tenderers. Work included meeting regularly with each of the tenderers and providing information through a commercially confidential interactive tender stage, full and detailed assessment of received tender submissions, recommendation of a preferred tenderer, pre-award negotiations with the preferred tenderer to agree the final terms of the contract, and the subsequent successful award of the Contract.
SKM is the Engineer to the Contract and its involvement has continued with responsibility for Management, Supervision and Quality Assurance (MSQA) during the construction phase and also acting as Client’s Advisor. The SKM team provided a high calibre dedicated team to administer the Contract and supervise the physical works, which include:
- Widening the main State Highway to provide two continuous lanes in each direction.
- Constructing four new links including new viaduct structures.
- Constructing a new viaduct structure for a revised off-ramp to the CBD.
- A braided ramp structure and associated link road connections at the northern limit of the project.
- Widening of the existing southbound SH1 carriageway.
This D&C contract was awarded in October 2003 and construction began in February 2004. The works are currently due to be completed by the end of 2006. Since Contract award, SKM has negotiated the inclusion of a number of major variations to the contract with the Contractor in order to provide for additional scope requested by Transit New Zealand. The total value of these variations is expected to be approximately NZ$50m and includes a sizeable single Variation, valued at $31m, which provides a cross over structure and realignment of the carriageway at the northern end of the project. Anticipated out turn cost for the part of the CMJ project delivered by this D&C contract is expected to be of the order of $140m and within Transit’s budget and revised programme for the works.