AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced that the Victoria State Government has appointed AECOM, in partnership with Acciona and MACA Civil, as alliance non-owner participants to design and construct Australia’s M80 Ring Road Completion between Plenty Road and the North East Link in Watsonia, Melbourne. AECOM will serve as the lead consultant and the only designer of the alliance and will play a central role in delivering the professional and technical services for the planning and design of permanent works.

“We’re excited to deliver this transformative project that will change how people move around Melbourne and deliver positive outcomes for communities and the environment,” said Mark McManamny, chief executive of AECOM’s Australia and New Zealand region. “Together with the State Government, Acciona, and MACA Civil, our technical specialists will draw on our deep experience in complex programs to deliver this city-shaping project that will leave a positive legacy for decades to come.”

The project will involve a major upgrade of the M80 Ring Road and a seamless connection to North East Link, helping to remove up to 19,000 cars and trucks from Greensborough Road a day. Works include 14km of new lanes, separation of local roads from the freeways, almost 2 million cubic meters of earthworks, retaining walls, bridge structures, rail interface works, intelligent transport systems, urban design and landscaping. In its role, AECOM will aim to achieve positive social outcomes through supplier engagement with First Nations people and businesses, as well as with people and businesses from local areas of social and economic disadvantage.

“We look forward to extending our role on the State Government’s historic Big Build infrastructure investments through this key project,” said Mark Southwell, chief executive of AECOM’s global Transportation business. “Guided by our Sustainable Legacies strategy, we will deploy sustainable construction practices and digital advances across our work, with a focus on generative design and project-specific project control tools as well as innovative design, material selection, and construction approaches.”