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.

Four Japanese companies prequalified for Malaysia's MYR8.9 billion water project between Pahang and Selangor states. There were eight bidders for the 44.6 km water transfer tunnel part of the project, which will eventually cost about MYR3 billion. The prequalification was undertaken by consultants from the ministry for energy, water and communications and project financier, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

Concer & Partners signed a EUR2.4 million deal for on-site supervision and work management during construction of the 10.4 km pilot bore from Naz-Sciaves to chainage 10+400 in Bolzano province, the 1.8 km Mules access adit, a 400 m connecting tunnel between Aica and Riga valley, and preparation and management of excavated materials. Visit www.concerepartners.it 50-51/07.

Impregilo is leading a consortium of companies including Pedemontana Veneta, Autostrada Brescia-Padova, Autostrade per l'Italia, Autovie Venete, Grandi Lavori Fincosit, Costruzioni Maltauro, Rizzani de Eccher, Carron, Consorzio Cooperative Costruzioni (CCC), Mantovani, Intercantieri Vittadello and Serenissima Costruzioni, who has been awarded the concession contract for the design, construction and operation of the Pedemontana highway.

In August 2007, the Bulgarian ministry of transport awarded Iberinsa and ILF the design services for the modernization of the approx. 270 km railway line from Vidin to Sofia. The entire section comprises numerous bridges, tunnels, stations and other constructions. The main objective is to upgrade the respective railway line in compliance with the requirements of European transport corridor IV, to eliminate current restrictions in order to meet European standards. The project comprises the elaboration of a technical and financial feasibility study, the conceptual design and the preparation of a tendering strategy. Visit www.iberinsa.es and www.ilf.com 50-51/07.

The prequalification phase for construction of the 6.5 km section of the Sofia subway connecting Nadezhda borough with Cherni Vrah boulevard ended on 3rd September. The second phase started on 5th December and the contract is to be concluded in February 2008. The building works are to start in 2008 and to be complete in 45 months. The route will have a total of seven underground stations, stretching from Nadezhda borough down southeast to the central railway station, Tzum department store, the National Palace of Culture to Cherni Vrah boulevard.

The international consortium Gaama (standing for Groupement algéro-allemand de métro d'Alger) formed by Dywidag of Germany and Algeria's Cosider TP, with Italian subcontractor Trevi, has won the international bid for the 2.8 km extension of Line 1 of the subway in Algiers

Systra signed two contracts worth EUR36 million with the Hanoi Metropolitan Rail Transport Project Board (HRB) for Hanoi’s first metro line, estimated at EUR500 million. Lead consultant, Systra will be responsible for the design studies, preparation of the tender documents, bid assessment, supervision of construction and rolling stock production and assistance to the commissioning and operation. Systra already carried out the feasibility and planning studies. Tenders for construction are expected to be invited in 2008 for opening in October 2010 for the city’s millenium. Line 1, for which Systra already undertook the feasibility and planning studies, stretches for 12.5 km going from Nhon (depot and workshop) to the railway station. There is a 2.9 km underground section in the city centre, planned to be built using the cut-and-cover method (5 to 8 m high), with four underground stations. Read E-News Weekly 7/2007. Visit www.systra.com 49/07.

After being named preferred bidder a few months ago, Bouygues Construction has signed the contract worth more than EUR500 million to build and operate the new Tyne crossing under-river tunnels in Newcastle. A concession operator named TT2 and made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, HSBC Infrastructure Fund II and Bank of Scotland Corporate was selected to carry out the work, which is expected to take four years, followed by the operation of the tunnels. The contract includes the design and construction of a new tunnel, the renovation of the existing tunnel, financing and the operation of the whole system for 30 years (including the duration of the works). Visit www.newtynecrossing.info and www.bouygues-construction.com Motorway A19 that links Newcastle’s north and south is a dual two-lane carriageway that narrows to one single lane in each direction in the tunnel. This bottleneck causes important disruptions. The new tunnel, which will duplicate the existing tunnel link, is 1,600 m long, whereof 360 m under the Tyne. For its crossing of the river, the tunnel will consist of 90 m-long precast concrete caissons. Bouygues proposed the TIMBY (standing for Tunnel IMmergé BouYgues) process developed by its engineers Pierre Longchamp, Philippe Autuori and Patrick Palbras in conjunction with Herrenknecht but the caissons will be built in the classical manner in a dry yard. Click here. The TIMBY concept has received in January this year the first innovation prize from the French federation for public works (FNTP). Visit www.fntp.fr/actualite/dp/DPinnovation26012007.pdf Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority (TWPTA) is to provide a subsidy of EUR160 million, HSBC Infrastructure Fund II, Bank of Scotland Corporate, and Bouygues Travaux Publics will provide EUR54 million in capital, and TT2 has contracted a EUR290 million senior debt loan from banks HSBC, Bank of Scotland Corporate and Natixis. Construction of the new tunnel, worth EUR355 million euros, will start first. When finished, all traffic will be diverted through the new tunnel while the existing tunnel is renovated and upgraded to current safety standards. Work is slated to commence in March 2008 for opening of the new tunnel and the renovated existing tunnel in December 2011. 49/07.

A consortium of Implenia, Wayss & Freytag, Bilfinger Berger and PraderLosinger will build the Weinberg tunnel as well as the underground pathway of the existing station’s southern part. Access shafts are also part of the contract, worth CHF350 million. The 4.5 km single bored dual-track Weinberg tunnel will feature a 9.74 m inner diameter and a 10.94 m outer diameter. Other underground structures include a 22 m-diameter 34 m-deep temporary access shaft and a new underpass in the southern part of the railway station. The geology is molasse (marls and sands). The tunnel will be driven using a mixshield TBM and lined by 30 cm-thick precast concrete segments and 30 cm-thick cast-in-place concrete. A conveyor belt is envisaged to evacuate the spoil. Tunnelling is scheduled to commence in September 2008 for breakthrough in 2010. Visit www.implenia.com, www.wf-ingbau.de, www.bilfingerberger.de and www.praderlosinger.ch 49/07. The new Löwenstrasse station will be built by a Marti-led consortium. The station will be 500 m long, whereof 420 metres for the platforms, its inner height will be five metres and its outer height 11 metres. Its width is variable (up to 45 metres). Click here. Visit www.martiag.ch 49/07.

A joint venture of Lauro, Cogeis, Studio Corona and Arch. Francesco Guerra landed a EUR27.6 million contract to complete the Omegna bypass. The project includes two tunnels, 850 m and 1.7 km in length. Visit www.laurospa.it, www.cogeis.it and www.coronasic.it 49/07.

Duesseldorf that will provide significant relief to inner-city traffic when it goes into operation in 2015. The dual-track tunnel will be built by a tunnel boring machine. The techniques selected for the construction of five underground train stations (Jacobi Strasse/Pempelforter Strasse, Schadowstrasse, Benrather Strasse, Graf-Adolf-Platz, and Kirchplatz) will ensure that traffic is disrupted as little as possible during the construction phase. Extensive foundation engineering works will serve to protect existing structures in Duesseldorf’s inner-city. The line will be actually the second cross-city tunnel, probably for the existing low floor tram lines 703, 712, 713, between the suburban rail stations of Wehrhahn and Bilk. At Heinrich-Heine-Allee, a 300 m stretch was already built together with the first city tunnel in the 1980s. The old tram route above running through the shopping areas of Schadowstrasse and the old city will be removed. The new underground will also improve access to the new Duesseldorf shopping complex which is currently under construction in the area of Bilk located next to the S-Bahn station. Visit www.bilfingerberger.de 49/07.

Colombian highway concessionaire San Rafael is preparing to launch a number of tender processes for the construction of the Girardot-Ibagué highway and rehabilitation of the Ibagué-Cajamarca section. The company is currently working to conclude the concession contract signing process, taking all the legal steps necessary to start works as soon as possible. The concessionaire, awarded the project in July of this year, submitted a COP349 billion investment plan. The 20-year concession contract includes carrying out all the necessary technical and financial studies, including the project's environmental impact, along with the rehabilitation, construction, expansion and operation of the highway. Works will also include the construction of a tunnel and bypasses. Rehabilitation works will be carried out over 93.7 km of highway, while construction works will total 73.4 km. The concessionaire is expected to hire machinery and purchase steel, concrete, asphalt, and other construction materials, for a total of nearly COP333 billion. The concessionaire is formed by 10 companies: Aseo Técnico, Codesa, Constructora Colpatria, Constructora San Isidro, HB Estructuras Metálicas, Latinco, Mincivil, Sadelec, Termotécnica Coindustrial, and Topco. Section 2 is the 10.3 km Gualanday road bypass, a single carriageway with two 3.65 m lanes and 1.8 m shoulders. The project includes the single tube Deza tunnel, 1.8 km in length. Visit http://direccion.camara.gov.co/camara/site/artic/20060510/asocfile/apendice_a___gic___20_12_2006.doc 49/07.

The contract for construction of the 10.3 km Hong Kong west drainage tunnel has been awarded on 23rd November, 2007 by the Drainage Services Department (DSD) to a Dragages-Nishimatsu joint venture. The contract value is HKD2.75 billion. The successful tenderer offered the lowest bid. The tunnel will vary in diameter between 6.25 m and 7.25 m and run from Tai Hang to north of Telegraph Bay on the western side of Hong Kong Island. The scheme also includes adits totalling 7.5 km and 35 intake shafts. Visit www.dsd.gov.hk/home/index.htm, www.dragageshongkong.com and www.nishimatsu.co.jp/eng 49/07.

BGG Consult and ESW Consulting Wruss pocketed a EUR660,500 for groundwater preservation during construction of the Unterweitersdorf-Freistadt North section of the Muehlviertler expressway S10. The route of the Muehlviertler expressway S10 extends the existing Muehlkreis motorway A7 from Unterweitersdorf with a long tunnel section across Neumarkt and Lest to Freistadt in the south. Read E-News Weekly 33/2005 & 45/2004. Visit www.bgg.at 49/07.

A joint venture formed by IGT Geotechnik und Tunnelbau, iC Consulenten, and Amberg Engineering bagged a contract for permission planning with option for tender and execution planning, site supervision and geotechnics for the St. Paul-Aich section on the Koralm line between Graz and Klagenfurt, including the Granitztal chain of tunnels. Visit www.igt.co.at, www.ic-group.at and www.amberg.ch 49/07.