Bonaventura, a consortium of Hochtief, Alpine Mayreder and Egis Projects, has recently been selected as preferred bidder by ASFINAG for a 32-year concession to build and operate one section of the A5 toll road between Vienna and the border with the Czech Republic. The relevant project is called "PPP East region - Package 1" and consists of the A5 South (section Eibesbrunn-Schrick, 24 km), S1 East (Suessenbrunn-Eibesbrunn, 12 km), S1 West (Eibesbrunn-Korneuburg, 12 km) and the 4 km S2 Suessenbrunn bypass. The official award of the contract is scheduled in the end of September 2006 but subject to objections by unsuccessful bidders. All in all, it represents approx. 52 km of new motorways and expressways with estimated construction costs of EUR850 million. The project is the first Austrian concession model for design, construction, financing and operation of primary road infrastructure.The scheme includes the following tunnels: Tradenberg (S1 West), 2,450 m with a 1,400 m bored/mined section and the remainder in cut-and-cover; Stetten (S1 West), 3,030 m; Kreuzenstein (S1 West), 1,760 m; and Eibesbrunn (A5 South), 460 m. Cut-and-cover method to be used for the Stetten, Kreuzenstein and Eibesbrunn tunnels. All tunnels will have two tubes, each for two lanes and hard shoulder (inner width of 10 m). The Eibesbrunn tunnel has three lanes in each tube and a hard shoulder (inner width of 15.5 m). Inner height will always be 4.7 m. Excavation diameter for the Eibesbrunn tunnel will be approx. 130 sq m.Geology is a changing domination of marl/clay and sandstone (Tradenberg tunnel); loose soil, mainly thick layers of gravel on deeper silt layers (Stetten tunnel); loose soil, mainly thick layers of gravel on deeper silt layers (Kreuzenstein tunnel); and loose soil (Eibesbrunn tunnel).The method for support and lining will be the bidders' choice but probably predominantely shotcrete. All tunnels have cross passages each 125 m to 245 m in length for pedestrians. Also, there are two cross passages in each tunnel for vehicles with a cross section of 3.5 m x 3.6 m. Tunnelling works will be started as soon as possible after the contract award. Detailed tunnel design will be conducted by the future concessionaire who will award it to its own engineering companies. Hochtief PPP Solutions and Alpine Mayreder hold 44.4% each and Egis Projects 11.2% of the concession company Bonaventura. Hochtief and Alpine Mayreder hold 50% each of the building consortium, with Alpine Mayreder as leader. Visit www.asfinag.at, www.hochtief.com, www.alpine.at and www.groupegis.com 38/06.Bonaventura, a consortium comprising Hochtief PPP Solutions, Alpine Mayreder and French infrastructure company Egis Projects, reached a financial agreement with ASFINAG signed on 21st December, 2006 to plan, finance, build and operate a Y-shaped 51 km roadway including the first section of the A5 between Eibesbrunn and Schrick heading from Vienna towards the Czech Republic, and sections of the S1 and S2 - Vienna's northeastern beltway. It is the first PPP road project in Austria. Together, the partners will invest around EUR945 million in the project. The two fund companies Deutsche Asset Management and Meridian Infrastructure are also participants in the consortium and are providing mezzanine capital. Approximately EUR800 million will be provided by a number of banks, including Deutsche Bank, who also rendered consultancy services in connection with the financing, and the European Investment Bank, who will lend EUR350 million. The construction JV is led by Alpine Mayreder. Click at/67 for more. Visit www.alpine.at, www.hochtief.com or www.hochtief-pppsolutions.com and www.groupegis.com 03/07.37 calls for bids with negotiated procedure and deadlines 10th, 11th or 21st May, 2007 have been published for engineering for the toll motorway A5 south, and sections S1 and S2, consisting mainly in bridges, one blasted tunnel: Tradenberg (2.5 km) and three cut-and-cover tunnels: Stetten (2.5 km), Kreuzenstein (2 km) and Eibesbrunn (460 m). The concession contract has been signed in December. Click at/67. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=91665-2007 to http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=91671-2007, OJ S 75, http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=95224-2007 to http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=95248-2007, OJ S 78,http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=96390-2007, and http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=96392-2007 to http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=96396-2007, OJ S 79, or contact PPP Ostregion, Vienna, tel. +43 61079 DW 383. E-mail ai@y-trasse.at 19/07.