Brisbane Airport Link should open by August, Leighton says

Brisbane’s Airport Link should be open by late July, according to Leighton Holdings. The company issued a media release stating that the Thiess John Holland (TJH) joint venture completed a review of the integrated commissioning activities and productivities to date on the Airport Link Project, which indicates that the project will be open by 20 August 2012 at the latest.

“As we advised on 13 February 2012, major construction works are expected to be completed in June and the remaining work principally comprises completion of the mechanical and electrical fit-out, testing and commissioning,” said Leighton Holdings CEO Hamish Tyrwhitt.

“The construction elements of the project will be completed in line with our expectations with final commissioning and safety testing programmed to be completed through July,” said Tyrwhitt.

“More than half of the tunnel is now in the commissioning stage with the testing of services including lights, fans, surveillance, fire deluge and ventilation systems, and tolling systems underway.”

The company says the revised opening date “will have no impact on Leighton’s profit guidance for 2012,” as it had allowed for schedule changes.

“The commissioning involves around 12,000 individual tests and TJH has completed some 7000 of these so far. Whilst remaining commissioning activities are complex, we are anticipating that the final tests will be completed in July allowing the road to then be opened to traffic in August,” Tyrwhitt said.

Tyrwhitt said that the Northern Busway was completed on time and the tolling control centre and tolling system were handed over on time at the end of March.