Transantiago ave. connection tender draws 4 offers

Four groups submitted offers to Chile's public works ministry for a contract to connect Suiza and Las Rejas avenues as part of capital Santiago's Transantiago urban transport plan, the ministry said. The bidders are consortiums Belfi-BCF, Concesionaria Suiza-Icafal and Concesiones Urbanas, and company Besalco Concesiones. Economic bids are due to be opened February 22. The contract has a reference price of US$22mn and entails constructing 3km of roadworks in the capital's south and southwest, as well as maintenance and operation on the roadways for 15 years. The project includes three lanes in each direction, with the middle lanes designated exclusively for public transport. Construction is slated to begin in the second half of this year and will take 1.5 years. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR CONTRACT In other Transantiago news, the government sold 25 sets of bidding rules by last week's deadline for the transport plan's financial administrator contract, a Transantiago spokesperson told BNamericas. Companies that purchased bidding rules include Ascom, Sonda and Siemens, plus a number of local and international banks. Offers are due March 26, said the official. The winner of the 12-year contract will administer the US$717mn/y that is expected to be collected in bus and metro fares, and have the option of being responsible for the Multivía smart card. TRUNK, FEEDER LINE CONTRACTS Meanwhile, Transantiago's trunk and feeder route contracts have been signed, after being awarded mid-January. Colombian companies Express de Santiago Uno S.A. and Inversiones Alsacia will operate trunk routes 4 and 1 respectively, while Chilean companies SuBus Chile S.A., Buses Gran Santiago S.A. and Buses Metropolitanos S.A. will operate routes 2, 3 and 5. Local companies Red Bus Urbano, Unión de Transporte S.A. and Trans Araucaria S.A. won contracts to operate feeder routes 1, 3 and 9. Contracts also went to Chile's Servicios de Transporte de Personas de Santiago S.A. (feeders 2 and 4), Buses Gran Santiago S.A. (feeders 5 and 8) and Comercial Nuevo Milenio S.A. (feeders 6 and 7).