The upgrade of the West Gate Freeway in Melbourne, by the West Gate Freeway Alliance, was chosen over six other Australia-wide finalists as the most outstanding example of construction excellence at the 2011 Australian Construction Achievement Award in Melbourne last night, Thursday 19 May.

The annual ACAA was hosted by Mr Peter Brecht, President of the Australian Constructors Association and Mr Merv Lindsay, National President of Engineers Australia, with more than 400 guests attending the event.

The upgrade of the West Gate Freeway, on the southern fringe of the Melbourne CBD, included freeway widening, bridge works, the reconfiguration of access ramps and reconstruction of exiting traffic lanes. This work was completed while still handling the very heavy traffic of hundreds of thousands of vehicles that needed to access through the corridor each day. Despite extensive changes to the design concept that vastly improved functionality, the project was completed within budget and four months ahead of schedule.

The Chair of the judging panel, Mr Dick Kell AM, said, “The experience of reviewing these projects reminded me once again of the world class achievements and status of Australian construction contractors, in respect to implementation and the innovation, quality and safety they bring to the delivery of major projects.”

The other finalists were:

Abbot Point Coal Terminal X50 Project, QLD – John Holland

The Abbot Point X50 expansion project north of Bowen in Queensland has increased the export capacity of the facility from 21 million to 50 million tonnes of coal per year. The project included the construction of an additional 500-metre long berth almost 3 kilometres off-shore, as well as a second jetty conveyor. A centrepiece of the project was the construction of a second shiploader and tripper assembly unit weighing over 1,340 tonnes, standing 50 metres high and capable of loading 7,200 tonnes per hour.

Northern Expressway (NEXY) – Fulton Hogan and York Civil

This $370 million, 23 kilometre expressway links the Gawler Bypass with Port Wakefield in northern Adelaide. The project involved the construction of 17 bridges, laying 460,000 tonnes of asphalt and 3.5 million cubic metres of earthworks. Innovative pavement design delivered the smoothest road in Australia. The 3000+ people employed during the project had a strong focus on safety and connecting with the local community.

Sydney Desalination Plant - John Holland and Veolia Water Joint Venture

The $1.1 billion desalination plant is the largest in Australia and second largest in the world and has the capability to deliver 15% of Sydney’s water supply. The primary challenge for the project included a tight timeframe to have it fully operational by the summer of 2009/10. The project was successfully delivered in spite of the formidable obstacles unique to the site, including turbulent seas, minimal geotechnical information, and close proximity to conservation areas.

Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM 7) – Leighton Contractors Baulderstone Bilfinger Berger Joint Venture (LBBJV)

The $3 billion tunnel under the Brisbane River, with a capacity of 100,000 vehicles per day, bypasses the CBD and 24 sets of traffic lights. The outcome is a reduction in travel time by up to 30%, cutting vehicle emission and increasing safety. Two tunnel boring machines measuring 12.4 metres high, 260 metres long and weighing 4,000 tonnes, excavated 3.5 million tonnes of rock and lined over eleven kms of tunnels and ramps in just 18 months. The project was delivered seven months ahead of schedule.

ANZ Centre – Lend Lease

Accommodating 6,500 staff, ANZ Centre is the largest single tenanted commercial building in Australia. The environmental benchmarks for the project delivered a 6 Star Green Star Office Design, a rating that will deliver significant savings in energy, water and sewage costs. During the construction phase, materials were selected on a Green Star Standards basis and 93 per cent of waste was diverted from landfill via recycling initiatives. The development was delivered on time and within budget.

Robina to Varsity Lakes Track Extension, QLD – TrackStar Alliance

The 4.2 km extension of the existing Gold Coast rail line featured a new eco-rail station, landfill remediation of more than one million tonnes of waste, a cut and cover tunnel, more than 3 kms of major road work and the undergrounding of 110kV transmission powerlines. The new landmark rail station also included sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting for re-use in toilets and landscaping along with photo-voltaic cells to return power to the grid. The project, which includes a focus on integrated public transport, was completed under budget and six months ahead of schedule.

Previous winners of the ACAA have been: Melbourne Convention Centre, EastLink, Melbourne; Perth Seawater Desalination Project; Southern Cross Station, Melbourne; Runway Main Construction Works, Tullamarine; The Bond, Sydney; Alice Springs to Darwin Rail Link; Brisbane’s Inner City Bypass project; Woronora Bridge in NSW; Queensland Clean Fuels project; Stadium Australia in Sydney; Wandoo B Offshore Oil Platform, WA; and the Glebe Island Bridge, now ANZAC Bridge, Sydney.

Further information: John Bright – 0407 234 490 / jbright@engineersaustralia.org.au