Hock Lian Seng Infrastructure has won the US$202 million contract which includes the design and construciton of 460m of dual carriageway viaduct linking into the existing South Quay Viaduct. The contract also includes 490m of at-grade road and 9.1ha of land reclamation.

The costs of the expressway have risen because of factors including steep increases in materials prices since the estimates were prepared in 2006. "In addition, we have encountered considerably weaker soil conditions than expected, and these require more robust temporary earth retaining systems, which are essential for safety," said LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee.