East West Connect to deliver Australian toll road

East West Connect consortium has signed a contract with the Victorian government to deliver the US$6.99 billion (AUD 8 billion) East West Link toll road in Australia. The $4.62 billion (AUD 5.3 billion) partnership was agreed after the High Court rejected an application for an injunction to defer the deal. The project's winning design incorporates two 4.4km three-lane tunnels between CityLink and Hoddle Street. The consortium, which includes Lend Lease, 976 Acciona, Capella Capital and 979 Bouygues, has spent some $34.93 million (AUD 40 million) on the project to date. The contracts also include a $436.69 million (AUD 500 million) kill fee to protect it from sovereign risk.