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.

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.

Skanska is the low bidder at NOK197.1 million to rehabilitate the 3,520 m Ellingsøy tunnel and the 4,222 m Valderøy tunnel in Ålesund, ahead of Mesta (NOK211.7 million) and Veidekke with NOK260.3 million. The tunnels opened in 1989. Work will take place at night, starting in September for a period of 12-17 months. New waterproofing and frost protection will be installed and new technical installations will be installed. Also, 15 niches will be built. Visit www.skanska.com 25/08.

Mexican public works groups ICA and Cicsa, and French industrial group Alstom's Alstom Mexicana unit, signed a deal on 12th June to build the new Golden Line 12 in Mexico City. The contract is worth MXP17.6 billion. The two Mexican companies will take charge of digging tunnels and infrastructure while Alstom will be in charge of electrical wiring and the electromechanical systems.

Communauté d'Agglomérations de Mantes en Yvelines (CAMY) has awarded Ginger Environnement et Infrastructures (GEI) a contract to design and manage the construction of a 1.3 km 3 m-diameter drainage tunnel planned on the site of the garbage storage plant in Guitrancourt. This tunnel is designed to protect the water table from the garbage. The works are scheduled to last 18 months. Visit www.gingergroupe.com 25/08.

On 13th May, 2008, the Omaha city council approved a USD510,000 contract with Parsons Brinckerhoff to carry out geotechnical and geophysical exploration and testing of soil and rock samples for the planned deep tunnel to be constructed under Omaha for storage and conveyance of combined storm water and sanitary sewage.

The contract to build the immersed tube section of Newcastle's GBP260 million Tyne tunnel has been awarded to specialist contractor Volker Stevin Marine by tunnel concessionaire TT2, a consortium led by French contractor Bouygues Travaux Publics. It handed Volker Stevin Marine the GBP16 million contract to manufacture, transport and submerse the tunnel units that will form the structure's 360 m immersed tube section. The contract involves the construction of four 90 m-long split sections of rectangular precast and reinforced concrete, which are 8.5 m by 15 m in size and altogether will require 14,400 cubic metres of concrete.

Consorcio de Aguas de Busturialdea - the Busturialdea subregion water agency in the province of Biscay - awarded Ferrovial Agromán and Excavaciones Leandro Gómez a EUR9.2 million contract for the construction of the section from Sukarrieta to the future Lamiaran wastewater treatment works, which forms part of the main sewer on the left bank of the Mundaka estuary. Construction management has been awarded to Euroconsult for EUR288,500.

FCC and Enrique Ortiz e Hijos bagged a EUR32 million contract to design and construct the Finca Adoc section on the tram line 1 in Alicante. A new 2 km dual-track section will be built, including a 1,470 m tunnel through Serra Grossa. An escape exit perpendicular to the tunnel will also be constructed. Visit www.fcc.es 24/08.

Intecsa-Inarsa scooped a EUR4.2 million contract to design the 4,680 m cross-city high speed tunnel and the new Campo Grande underground station in Valladolid. Visit www.intecsa-inarsa.es 24/08.

Sener and KV Consultores scooped a EUR2.2 million contract for work inspection of the 5 km Sarria de Ter-Sant Julia de Ramis section, which includes the 3,042 m Sarria tunnel and the 475 m Montagut tunnel. Visit www.sener.es and www.kvconsultores.es 24/08.

Skanska has been entrusted with the construction of the 375 m Nakke tunnel and the 850 m Haukabø tunnel on national road Rv 662 in Molde. The contract amounts to NOK85.3 million and comprises four portals, the excavation and support of the tunnels, water and frost protection, and approx. 400 metres of adjacent roads. Visit www.skanska.no 24/08.