ACCIONA has won an award from IJGlobal, a leading publication specializing in infrastructure and project finance, for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC), a A$1.6 billion highway that will relieve traffic through Toowoomba, in the state of Queensland, Australia.

The bypass to the north of the city of Toowoomba is the centerpiece of major economic development taking place in south-western Queensland, and will create a safer, faster and more efficient route for connecting freight to major ports and markets. It is being built in response to strong demand from citizens in the area. Its 41 kilometers will link the Warrego highway, to the east, with the road to Gore, in the west, via Charlton. The TSRC will include an 800-meter viaduct over a railway line and a 30-metre cutting at the top of the Range, instead of a tunnel, to allow all heavy vehicles, including those carrying dangerous goods, to use the TSRC. The Australian and Queensland Governments are jointly funding the $1.6 billion TSRC on an 80/20 basis.

ACCIONA Infrastructure is part of the Nexus Infrastructure joint-venture that was awarded the contract to design, build, operate and maintain the TSRC in August 2015 through a Public-Private Partnership contract valued at A$1.6 billion. Construction is expected to generate around 1,800 jobs and be completed in 2018. After completion, ACCIONA Concessions will participate in the operation and maintenance of the highway under a 25-year concession.

The prize awarded by IJGlobal is the latest received by ACCIONA for the excellence of its infrastructure projects in Australia. In February, ACCIONA was the recipient of two prizes awarded by Project Finance International: for Toowoomba, as the most outstanding highway project in the Asia-Pacific region, and for the Sydney Light Rail project, as the leading public-private initiative in the region. The Legacy Way tunnels in Brisbane, now in operation, have also won several awards.