First design and build contract awarded for the Grand Paris Express

The first design and build contract for the Grand Paris Express was awarded by the Société du Grand Paris to a mainly French encompassing consortium on July the 13^th.

The Grand Paris Express is a project that aims to directly connect Parisian suburbs through a network of outer circuits to the existing infrastructure.

In total, the project has a total estimated cost of €35.6 billion and will include the construction of 200 km of new metro line, which will be divided into four new lines and the extension of an existing one.

Furthermore, the newly awarded design and build contract concerns the partial construction of line 15 West, one of the newly constructed ones, from the Pont de Sèvres station to La Défense and will come at a cost of €2.71 billion. More specifically, within the framework of this project, 5 new stations will be constructed, as well as 14 km of tunnel, 16 service buildings and a set of tail tracks.

According to VINCI, one of the consortium members, 20% of the works will be entrusted to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), while employing over 2,000 people at peak phases of the construction. It was also stated that 10% of the work hours will be allocated to people on integration programs.

Finally, significant weight has been given to the project having a reduced environmental footprint, with one of the measures taken being using low-carbon and very-low-carbon concrete during construction.

Line 15 West is expected to be completed in 2031.