Infra Insight Blog

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), announced at a press conference in Miami today that it has reached financial close on the Port of Miami Tunnel Project. 

FDOT, in partnership with Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami, entered into an agreement with MAT Concessionaire, LLC (MAT) which includes Meridiam Infrastructure Finance, S.a.r.l. and Bouygues Travaux Publics as equity members. The $900 million public-private partnership (PPP) deal uses an availability payment structure that provides for payment to MAT over 30 years after completion of construction, which is expected to occur in five years. This is the second transportation infrastructure project in the United States to use an availability payment structure, following the recently closed FDOT I-595 Corridor Improvements Project. 

Financing for the project includes a $341 million low-cost federal loan through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, equity contributions from MAT, and $330 million in loans from the following senior lenders:

• BNP Paribas

• Banco Bilbao Bizcaya Argentina

• RBS Citizens

• Banco Santander

• Bayerische Hypo

• Calyon, Dexia

• ING Capital

• Societe Generale

• WestLB

The Port of Miami Tunnel will link the Port of Miami facilities on Dodge Island with MacArthur Causeway and I-395 via twin 42’ diameter tunnels under Biscayne Bay, increasing the Port’s competitiveness and relieving congestion in downtown Miami by diverting passenger and freight traffic to I-395 and improving access to I-95. The project also includes widening of MacArthur Causeway and other roadway improvements.

Bouygues Civil Works Florida, Inc. will design and construct the project with engineering assistance from Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. VMS, Inc. will serve as the lead operations and maintenance contractor. In addition to Nossaman, FDOT’s advisors include Jeffrey Parker & Associates (financial), Parsons Brinkerhoff and T.Y. Lin (technical), and Marsh (insurance).