My Take (Arnulf Christa): A major win for Strabag and a signal that Europe's infrastructure market still rewards established contractors willing to take on complex, long-term concessions—28 years of operations responsibility and EUR 2.9 billion in value demand both scale and staying power. For German and Austrian contractors, the message is clear: Central and Eastern European markets remain attractive, but only for those who can combine technical excellence with the financial muscle to manage decades of operational risk.
The Czech Ministry of Transport has selected the ViAlliance35 consortium—comprising Strabag (lead partner with its Czech subsidiaries), Cintra, Budimex, and infrastructure investor Invesis—as the preferred bidder for the D35 motorway gap closure project. The concession agreement covers a total of 52 kilometers, of which 35.4 kilometers will be newly constructed, featuring two double-tube tunnels and modern road infrastructure. The estimated project value for the entire 28-year concession period, encompassing design, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance, is approximately EUR 2.9 billion.
Although the selection has been announced, the contract has not yet been signed. The Czech government and Chamber of Deputies must formally approve the concession agreement, and a statutory objection period is currently in effect. Project stakeholders anticipate that these regulatory approvals will be completed, allowing for contract signature and construction commencement by the end of 2026. The D35 motorway connection is strategically important for traffic flows in the Czech Republic and wider Central Europe.
This project represents one of the largest public-private partnership infrastructure initiatives in Central Europe and underscores Strabag’s continued prominence in major transportation infrastructure across the DACH region and neighboring markets. The consortium structure—combining European construction expertise with specialized infrastructure investment capability—reflects the complexity and capital intensity of modern motorway PPP delivery.
Source: megaproject.com