It's the biggest highway contract in the history of the province. The B.C. Liberals are looking for a private partner that can create the design of the upcoming $600-million upgrade to Hwy. 99, do the improvements and then make sure the snow is plowed and pullouts are kept clean when the construction crews are finished.
Companies or consortiums interested in learning more details were asked to register their interest prior to an information meeting on Feb. 6. A request for qualifications (RFQ) and then a request for proposals (RFP) will follow the province's registration of interest.
The RFQ will go out next month and the RFP will follow in June with a deadline of September. The Transportation Ministry plans to chose the contractor in the fourth quarter of this year and then award the contract in the first quarter of 2005.
The construction of the highway has to be finished by 2009 ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The company or consortium chosen to undertake the massive project will be expected to build four lanes of highway between Horseshoe Bay and Lions Bay, improve the two lanes between Lions Bay and Porteau Cove, upgrade to three lanes between Porteau Cove and Squamish, create four lanes within urban Squamish and upgrade to three lanes between Squamish and Whistler.
