Prior information notice of start of award procedures on 27.05.2010 for general safety upgrade and restoration of six road tunnels to RABT 2006 standard, value EUR26.5 million, commencing winter 2010 with Herkulestrasse, value EUR7.54 million. For further information contact Stadt Koeln, tel +49 221221-23647, fax –28715, e-mail zentrales-vergabeamt@stadt-koeln.de. For details of all tunnels involved in this project visit tunnelbuilder archive de/106. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062973-2010. 10/10...

Vicenzetto Srl of Villa Estense have secured the EUR587,987 contract for test drilling and boring work in Brenner Base tunnel. Contact Johann Hager at BBT SE in Innsbruck, tel +43 5124030, fax +43 5124030-110, e-mail ava@bbt-se.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062301-2010 and www.vicenzetto.it. ..

The CPV consortium, formed by CSC SA (Lugano) and Pizzarotti SA (Bellinzona), signed the EUR43 million contract for the construction of Lot 854 at Vezia, the main lot of Ceneri Base Tunnel, including the south portal, 200 m of cut-and-cover tunnel, as well as drilling, blasting and lining both tunnels along a length of 300 m. Works at Vezia will continue until 2016. Commercial operation of the Ceneri Base Tunnel with scheduled train services is planned to start at the end of 2019. Of the total of 40.19 km of the Ceneri Base Tunnel, at the end of February 2010, 7,673 m, or 19.1%, had been ..

Imtech Austria Anlagentechnik GmbH of Linz have secured the contract for supply, installation and commissioning of ventilation equipment for the tunnel section of the Harter Plateau tramway line. For more, contact Ing. Harald Grogger at Managementservice Linz GmbH in Linz, tel +43 7323400-7982, fax -157982, e-mail h.grogger @ linzag.at. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=059736-2010. 10/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

The Andalusian regional government awarded a joint venture formed by Dragados, Garasa and Otero the construction of the Méndez Núñez-Genil River section of Granada’s light rail for EUR58.1 million and a time frame of 23 months. The Méndez Núñez-Genil River section is 1.26 km long and runs entirely underground. Two stations will be built, named Méndez Núñez and Recogidas. Slurry walls will be constructed for the tunnels and stations and the bulk excavation will be carried out below the roof slab to the bottom level. Visit www.grupoacs.com 28/08.

GPO Ingeniería scooped a contract to supervise and manage the construction of a railway access to Madrid Barajas airport. GPO’s tasks consist in supervising and controlling the works, until the end of the project scheduled in end 2009. The 8.8 km scheme from Chamartin station to Terminal T4 includes a 4.7 km tunnel and three stations. The project’s cost amounts to EUR162 million. The new line will connect Madrid’s city centre with Terminal T4 in 11 minutes from Chamartin, included stops in the stations. Click es/137. Visit www.gpo.es 28/08.

Todini, ITER and Impresa received a EUR53.6 million contract to construct the 1,288 m-long Secondigliano-Di Vittorio section of the Naples metro to enable joint operation of trains travelling on the Naples-Giugliano-Aversa line operated by Metrocampania Nordest and Line 1 of the metro. Click it/123. Visit www.todini.it and www.impresaspa.it 28/08.

Delcan will lead a multi-disciplinary team of consultants comprised of engineers, planners, architects and other relevant specialists including Halcrow to complete the downtown Ottawa transit tunnel (DOTT) planning and environmental assessment.

Lovat signed a contract to supply a new RME115SE earth pressure balance TBM to John Holland for the construction of the Melbourne main sewer replacement. The 4-spoke chromium carbide plated mixed ground cutting head is equipped with back loading rippers (interchangeable with 394 mm disc cutters).

French-owned Bouygues Travaux Publics has appointed consultants HPR to design and manage the new Tyne crossing. The brief will include design coordination and designing components of the scheme, managing regulatory approvals and consents for the scheme, and design of highway works, the immersed tunnel, cut-and-cover tunnel approaches, bridges and buildings. The new Tyne crossing will deliver a second two-lane 1.6 km vehicle tunnel under the River Tyne to ease traffic congestion between East Howdon and Jarrow, and will complete the dualling of the A19 from its junction with the A1 in southeast Northumberland to north Yorkshire. The new tunnel is expected to open in 2010 and the refurbished existing tunnel complete in late 2011 to bring it up to modern safety standards. Construction costs are estimated at GBP260 million. Visit www.hprconsult.com and www.newtynecrossing.info 27/08.

Prointec will manage and supervise the construction of the 4.9 km Arroyo de la Viñuela-Quejigares section of the east-west high speed line across Andalusia. This section includes the 3,343 m Quejigares tunnel. The contract is worth EUR3.3 million. Visit www.prointec.es 27/08.

Intecsa-Inarsa has been awarded a EUR4.2 million design contract for the 4,680 m cross city high speed tunnel and the new Campo Grande underground station in Valladolid. The Madrid-Valladolid high speed line entered in service in December 2007 but trains still use the conventional surface tracks within the city. Visit www.intecsa-inarsa.es 27/08.

The Luxembourg public works ministry has awarded Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau and Galère, both operating companies of Dutch building group Royal BAM, Max Boegl, Félix Giorgetti and Tralux, a EUR88.2 million contract (VAT not included) to construct the Stafelter tunnel. Royal BAM has a 75% share of the contract.

A consortium led by Technital teaming up with Idroesse Infrastrutture, Engineering and Technital Services (ETS), SPM Consulting, Girpa, Errevia and Proginvest scooped a EUR19.7 million contract to carry out the final design for sections B1, B2, C, D, the second lot of the Como orbital motorway, the second lot of Varese orbital motorway of the highway connection between Dalmine, Como, Varese and Gaggiolo Pass and associated works. This 87 km project, named Pedemontana highway, includes 40 kilometres of tunnel. Visit www.technital-spa.com, www.idroesse.com, www.spm-spa.it, www.girpa.it, www.errevia.com, www.proginvest.it and www.pedemontana.com 27/08.

Todini won the tender for the construction of the second lot of the Capo Boi-Terra Mala section on the bypass to road SS 125 along eartern Sardegna, between the Geremeas and Terra Mala junctions, in the province of Cagliari. The contract is worth EUR107.8 million, whereof EUR66.5 for the tunnels. The section will provide a bypass to the existing route, particularly sinuous and difficult, to join the tourist resorts in the southeast of the island. Further to the notice to proceed from the owner, the company will move to the executive phase of the project (120 days), to be followed by approval from the owner (90 days). Construction will then commence, with targeted end in 2011. The project is financed by the region of Sardegna. Visit www.todini.it

Glover Site Investigations scooped a GBP2.1 million contract to carry out detailed ground investigation of the superficial deposits and bedrock below the River Forth between between South Queensferry and Rosyth, as part of a proposed tunnel (bored or immersed) or bridge. Visit www.glover-si.com 25/08

Sener scooped a EUR1.3 million contract to design the 5.4 km Urnieta-Hernani section, including the 2,638 m tunnel and the 815 m Hernani tunnel. Each tunnel is a dual-track tunnel, featuring a 95 sq m cross-section. Visit www.sener.es 25/08.

The Warsaw underground transportation operator Metro Warszawskie received three offers in a tender for the construction of the 6.5 km central section of the second metro line. The previously qualified consortia led by the France's Vinci and by Spain's Ferrovial together with Budimex Dromex did not place their offers in the tender.

The joint venture Neelum-Jhelum Consultants led by MWH and consisting of MWH, Pakistani firms Nespak, ACE and NDC, and Norwegian firm Norplan has been selected by the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to provide design, construction drawing preparation and construction management services for the Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project. The contract is worth PKR4.1 billion and covers a period of eight years.