Allicso, a company formed by Colas Rhône-Alpes Auvergne, DTP Terrassement, Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France, SEIEF / EPI2 and CSO Investissement, signed a public-private partnership contract today, with the General Council of the department of Allier, to finance, design and build the Vichy southwest bypass and ensure its maintenance and upkeep for 15 years. 

Construction work will be handled by a consortium consisting of Colas Rhône-Alpes Auvergne (the consortium leader, with a 34% interest), Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France (33%) and DTP Terrassement (33%). This work, which totals 54 million euros, mainly involves the construction of a 18.6-km two-lane expressway, 16 civil engineering structures, including a bridge over the Allier river, and 8 hydraulic structures. After completion of the 4-month design phase, construction work will begin in March 2012 and will last 18 months. 

Major maintenance and refurbishment, standard maintenance and upkeep of the bypass will be entrusted, for 15 years, to Colas Rhône-Alpes Auvergne, which will be responsible for road surfaces and equipment, and to Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France, which will be responsible for civil engineering structures. 

The Allicso project is focused on environmental protection, in particular reducing impacts on biodiversity, and involves the participation of local SMEs and the employment of people without access to jobs.