The consortium consisting of VINCI and Meridiam has completed the financing of the PPP contract for the D4 motorway in the Czech Republic

€474 million of financing has been arranged for the project through debt denominated in both euros and Czech koruna.

The project consists of designing, financing, building, operating and maintaining a new 32km motorway and widening an existing 16km section of road to two lanes in each direction. The new motorway will provide an improved road connection between Prague and rural South Bohemia, thereby fostering local economic and social development, and will also help improve traffic conditions on major commercial routes, particularly towards neighbouring Germany and Austria.

The contract is for 28 years including approximatively 3.5 years of construction work, which will begin in May and will be carried out by VINCI subsidiary Eurovia, which has operated in the Czech Republic since 1992. It employs more than 3,000 people in the country, where it is one of the main players in transport infrastructure construction.

Operation and maintenance will be carried out by VINCI Highways. The new motorway will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies that will, among other things, guarantee a high level of road safety and comfort for motorists and improve traffic conditions.

The project will help to boost the economy and create local jobs, and has strong environmental credentials. It includes the recycling and reuse of 1.9 million m³ of excavated materials, as well as a commitment to recycle up to 60% of the total volume of asphalt mix. New storm water retention ponds, wildlife crossings and a “zero pesticide commitment” will contribute to preserving biodiversity.