John Sisk & Son has been selected as preferred bidder for the £68.8m re-routing of a landslide-prone section of the A59 in North Yorkshire.
The project to replace part of the road at Kex Gill, between Skipton and Blubberhouses, follows a series of landslides in recent years that have led to frequent closures.
The final contract award depends on funding from the Department for Transport, which is reviewing the full business case, with a decision expected next month.
The department initially earmarked £56.1m in grant funding, towards an original budget estimate of £61.6m, with the remainder to be plugged by the county council’s capital reserves.
However, following tender returns, the estimated cost of the scheme rose by £7.2m to £68.8m, due to inflation in the construction market.
As a result, the council was forced to increase its contribution from £5.5m to £12.7m.
Sisk has carried out a number of projects in the area, having recently completed a £30m job as part of the Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme. It is also delivering major infrastructure work for the York Central regeneration project.
“Sisk is really excited to be delivering this strategically important road scheme in North Yorkshire,” said managing director for UK civils Dominic Hodges.
“The scheme is technically challenging with complex engineering solutions required within an environmental sensitive area.
“We are working collaboratively with all stakeholders to develop an innovative scheme solution and look forward to working with the local community to leave a lasting legacy.”
