The construction contract for the EUR133 million Lai Chi Kok Transfer Scheme, advertised at tunnelbuilder.com earlier this year, has been awarded to Leighton Asia. The project includes two 4.9 m-diameter storm water drainage tunnels with total length of 3.7 km between West Kowloon reclamation and Lai Chi Kok and Sham Shui Po districts, six intake shafts, a stilling basin, an outfall adit into Victoria Harbour, and 270 m of 3 m-diameter connection adits. Work starts immediately for completion in 2012. More from Quinnie Lee, tel +852 2823 1427, e-mail quinnie.lee@leightonasia.com 47/08..

Contract valued EUR414,000 awarded by Norwegian Railway Infrastructure Administration to Norconsult AS of Sandvika to provide technical and detailed plans of tunnels for the joint project E6 road and Dovrebanen, lot Minnesund-Kleverud, which includes one twin-tube 0.6 km-long road tunnel and 3.1 km of single railway tunnel over a 17 km-long alignment in Eidsvoll and Stange municipalities. ..

Contract for telecommunications installations for 6.5 km section of new double railway track in Baerum municipality for Lysaker-Sandvika, of which 5.5 km in tunnel, awarded by Jernbaneverket to T Connect AS of Manglerud, Oslo. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=292852-2008 More from Olaf Bjerknes, tel +47 9943 4144, e-mail olbj@jbv.no 46/08. ..

Bemel Norge AS of Majorstuen, Oslo has been awarded the contract to supply ventilation fans to the 5.37 km-long Atlantic Ocean tunnel between Kristiansund and Bremnes on National Road 64 in the value EUR555,000...

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.

Prior information notice for construction works, value EUR24.86 million, for a undergroung cut-and-cover tunnel from Pabellon Moises Ruiz to Plaza de Barcelona, 1,1 km, with 0.8 m-thick base, 1.0 m-thick walls and 1.0 m-thick roof, on Carretera de Ronda, in Almeria. The works will include intermodal station.

Jacobs Engineering Group announced that the Seattle Tunnel and Rail Team (START), a joint venture between Jacobs and CH2M Hill, has been selected to receive a construction management services contract from Sound Transit to extend light rail service to connect the region's three most densely populated urban centres in Washington state (downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill/First Hill and the University district).

The contract for the construction of the Ceneri base tunnel from the northern portal, in Camerino, has been awarded to the Matro sud consortium headed by Pizzarotti teaming up with En­nio Ferrari, LGV, Cossi Costruzioni and Rodio Geotechnik. The consortium presented an offer of CHF103 million for the main northern lot consisting of a tunnel that will emerge on the Vigana hill under highway A2 where a double portal for three tracks will be constructed (two tracks for the new Alptransit railroad and one for the Locarno-Lugano line). Construction is programmed to commence on 6th October, 2008.

FCC pocketed a EUR11.8 million contract to construct a water supply pipeline from Beas dam to El Conquero treatment plant in Huelva province. The project is divided in four sections. The second section is a 2,323 m tunnel. Visit www.fcc.es 29/08.

The Ministry of development has awarded a joint venture of FCC and Convensa the construction of the A Vacariza-Rialiño section, in La Coruña province, at a price of EUR91.4 million and a time frame for execution of 36 months. This 8 km section forms part of the Atlantic coast line that goes from Ferrol to the border with Portugal. Of particular interest are the Monte Cean and Monte Pozas tunnels, 372 and 866 m in length respectively. Visit www.fcc.es 29/08.

On behalf of Egnatia Odos, WBI will design a section of the Thessaloniki ring road jointly with Greek companies DOMI O.E. (S. Stathopoulos - K. Pharros Consulting Engineers), Makarounis Constantin and Emmanouilides George, and German partner IHS (Ingenieurbüro Heitfeld-Schetelig). The contract comprises the design of three two-lane single tube mined tunnels (tunnel S1: 350 m, tunnel S2: 360 m, tunnel S3: 410 m), each 10.5 m wide plus walkways, and 70 m-long two-lane and 500 m-long four-lane cut-and-cover tunnels. WBI is in charge of the design of the mined tunnels. DOMI is in charge of the design of the cut-and-cover tunnels. The tunnels are located in silty clays with embedded horizons of breccia and conglomerates. The contract is worth EUR690,000. Visit www.wbionline.de and www.egnatia.gr 29/08.

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.