Rijkswaterstaat, the operational arm of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, has sealed a significant contract with the GelreGroen joint venture (JV) for a highway project in the Netherlands.

The GelreGroen JV, comprising HOCHTIEF (40%), John Laing (40%), Dura Vermeer (10%), and BESIX (10%), will undertake the project's planning, construction, and subsequent maintenance.

The consortium executing the work will comprise HOCHTIEF, Dura Vermeer, BESIX, and Van Oord, each holding a 25% stake.

Set in the Arnhem area, the project will see the extension of the A15 highway by 12km and the widening of the A12 and A15 roads with additional lanes over a 23km stretch.

The contract also encompasses the financing, operation, and maintenance of the highway until 2051.

The project, awarded to the JV in 2020, faced delays due to appeals before the domestic Supreme Administrative Court, preventing the commencement of work.

The project is now scheduled to start in January 2026, with the new section of the A15 highway and the additional lanes on the A12/A15 expected to open by the end of 2031.

As construction moves forward, the project will include the erection of 45 bridge structures, ten traffic junctions, and additional noise barriers.

A new bridge over the Pannerdensch Canal, approximately 2.5km in length, will serve as the project's centrepiece.

Sustainability is a key focus of the project, influencing the planning, construction, and operation phases.

The GelreGroen name reflects an environmentally focused design, and the development will include the reuse of materials and green construction methods.

Last month, HOCHTIEF announced that in partnership with cloud solutions provider IONOS Group, it submitted an expression of interest to the European Commission for its interest in constructing and operating an AI 'Gigafactory' in Europe.