KBR, an American engineering, procurement, and construction company, said it has won an extension, valued over $185 million, to its program management consultant (PMC) contract for Qatar's Expressway Programme.

The extension will see KBR continuing to deliver full programme management capability for the next three years, said a statement from KBR.

As Qatar's Public Works Authority's (Ashghal) programme management contractor, KBR is providing management expertise on one of the biggest highway construction and upgrade projects in the world, it stated.

On the contract extension, Stuart Bradie, the president and CEO, said: "This is great recognition of the partnership we have forged with Ashghal and for the highly regarded performance of the KBR professionals who are delivering this large scale, complex program of work."

KBR, he stated, is working closely with Ashghal to create a strategic and well-coordinated network of roads to support the goals of Qatar's National Vision 2030.

The QR50 billion ($13.7 billion) Expressway Programme aims to provide critical road network links to key areas around the country, including industrial areas, airports, ports, residential, business and tourism districts.

"Increasing our role in Qatar's Expressway Programme is an important part of our strategy to grow our regional Gulf business," noted Bradie.

Since KBR's initial award in 2010, Qatar's expressway programme has become one of the world's largest transport infrastructure programs.

Designed to create new east–west and north–south links throughout the country, the QR50 billion ($13.7 billion) project comprises 40 major projects and involves construction of 900 km of new and upgraded roads besides 348 bridges and underpasses.

It will increase road capacity to meet future demands; introduce facilities for cyclists and pedestrians; create a new orbital truck route around the capital city, Doha; and support the growing social and economic development of Qatar, said the company in its statement.

As program manager to the Public Works Authority, KBR is responsible for overseeing supervision consultants, design consultants and construction contractors for this program of both new roads and road network upgrades, it added.-TradeArabia News Service