Four teams bidding for I-69 financing, construction

The Indiana Department of Transportation says four teams of contractors are competing to build one of the final stretches of the Interstate 69 extension.

The teams answered Request for Qualifications from the state regarding the construction of I-69 from Bloomington to Martinsville. A Request for Proposals is expected from the state this fall.

The state hopes to start converting the 21-mile stretch of interstate early next year. The project is estimated to cost $394 million, but there is no money left in Indiana’s Major Moves fund for I-69 expansion. As a result, Indiana officials hope to pay for the project by exploring creative financing options that rely on existing state revenue.

Connect Indiana Development Partners, Isolux Infrastructure Netherlands BV, Plenary Roads Indiana and WM I-69 Partners were selected by the state last week.

Connect Indiana Development Partners is a joint venture of Macquarie Capital Group Limited, Lane Infrastructure Inc., Lane Industries Inc., Lane Construction Corp., Ames Construction Inc. and Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc.

Isolux Infrastructure Netherlands BV is made up of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Grupo Isolux Corsan SA, and is partnering with Corsan, AZTEC Engineering Group Inc. and Tecnica y Projectos SA.

Plenary Roads Indiana, part of the Plenary Group, is partnering with Granite Construction Co., Fred Weber Inc.  and AECOM.

WM I-69 Partners  is a joint venture of Walsh Investors LLC and Meridiam Infrastructure, and is partnering with Walsh Construction Co. II LLC, Parsons Transportation Group and others. 

The narrowing of the qualified contractors is one step in the state's ongoing process of completing I-69. INDOT opened a large stretch of the highway last year before former Gov. Mitch Daniels left office. The whole project is expected to connect Indianapolis with Evansville and southwest Indiana.