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.

Negotiated procedure, deadline 13th December, 2007 for quality control and follow-up of works on the Lysaker-Sandvika railway dualling. Click no/43 to know details about the tunnels involved. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=268468-2007, OJ S 220, or contact Jernbaneverket, Oslo, tel. +47 22455992. E-mail aie@jbv.no 47/07.

Negotiated call for tenders, deadline 7th December, 2007 for civil engineering for the extension of Line B of the Lyon metro from Gerland to Oullins, including a crossing of the Rhone river by TBM or immersed caissons. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=258180-2007, OJ S 212, or contact Sytral, Lyon, tel. +33 472845800. E-mail unitemarches@sytral.fr 47/07.

A joint venture of Oestu-Stettin, Hinteregger and Wayss & Freytag will construct the 1,134 m-long 92 sq m Lilienberg tunnel at a cost of EUR21.6 million. The tunnel corresponds to lot 2 of the 2.8 km Voelkermarkt bypass road. It will be drilled and blasted in accordance with NATM and supported by shotcrete, welded fabric and bolts. The tunnel path follows a 3.5% gradient. Its construction will generate 99,000 cubic metres of rock. Also, escape ways totalling 627 metres will also be constructed. The project has been designed by Poltnigg & Klammer and Intergeo. Opening to traffic of the EUR46 million bypass road is scheduled in spring 2010. Visit www.oestu-stettin.at, www.hinteregger.co.at, www.wf-ingbau.de, www.pundk.at, www.intergeo.at and www.stadtgemeinde-voelkermarkt.at 47/07

A single bid to help carve out space for a new Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) terminal under Grand Central Terminal came in USD200 million higher than anticipated. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had estimated the job to cost USD670 million. Instead, the bid came in closer to USD870 million. The sole bid was submitted by a joint venture between Judlau Contracting and Dragados. Last year, Judlau and Dragados were awarded a separate USD428 million contract to tunnel under Manhattan in preparation for the LIRR's expected 2013 arrival at Grand Central. The MTA explains that an uncommonly large number of construction projects in the US and worldwide may have led to less interest from bidders. The job may be split into several smaller contracts and the MTA is currently exploring whether a new call for bidders could delay the project beyond its expected 2013 completion. 46/07.

Open call for tenders, deadline 20th December, 2007 for detailed design of the high speed rail section between Seville’s Santa Justa railway station and San Pablo airport. The project includes a 10 km tunnel and forms part of the Seville-Malaga high speed line. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=258048-2007, OJ S 212, or contact Ferrocarriles de la Junta de Andalucía, Seville, fax +34 955007573. E-mail maryam.ferreras@ferrocarrilesdeandalucia.es 46/07.

Negotiated procedure, deadline 3rd December, 2007 for general planning for lots PFA 1.2, PFA 1.6a and PFA 1.6b for the Stuttgart 21 project. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=260644-2007, OJ S 214, or contact DB ProjektBau, Stuttgart, tel. +49 71120927696 or fax +49 71120923690. E-mail ute.schmidt@bahn.de or wolfgang.grau@bahn.de. Lot PFA 1.2 runs from the central station to the Filder plain. It comprises 2 x 9,260 metres of single-track bored tunnels, in circular and horseshoe-shaped cross-sections, about 200 metres of cut-and-cover tunnel, and two single-track underpasses of approx. 450 m. The Filder tunnel connects lots PFA 1.1 and PFA 1.6a with lot PFA 1.3. The tunnel crosses different geological layers, in particular rock formations consisting predominantly of gypsum-bearing rock and anhydrite.

Restricted call for bids, deadline 26th November, 2007 for detailed ground investigation of the superficial deposits and bedrtock below the River Forth between between South Queensferry and Rosyth. The ground investigation will address one of the following options: tunnel (90 to 120 exploratory holes to depths of 60 m to 70 m below river bed level), immersed tube (90 to 100 exploratory holes to depths of 30 m to 40 m below river bed level) and bridge (15 to 20 exploratory holes to depths of 20 m to 50 m below river bed level). Read E-News Weekly 41/2006, 39/2005, 13/2005 & 7/2005. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=253772-2007, OJ S 209, or contact The Scottish Ministers, Glasgow, fax +44 1412727560. E-mail hazel.tierney@scotland.gsi.gov.uk 45/07.

Restricted call for bids, deadline 28th November, 2007 for safety improvements in the San Donato and Castiglione tunnels, respectively 10,954 m and 7,390 m long, on the Florence-Rome line. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=249632-2007, OJ S 205, or contact Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, Florence, fax +39 0552366507. 45/07.

The four bidders to construct the Pedemontana highway in Lombardy are Strabag, Sacyr, CCC, and Impregilo. Pedemontana means foothills in Italian. A “pedemontana” is generally a road at the foot of a mountain or hills. The project comprises a main highway connection from the A8 in Cassano Magnano in Varese province to the A4 in Osio Sotto and Brembate in Bergamo province, the Varese bypass highway and the Como bypass highway. The entire project stretches for 77 km. More than 48 km of connecting roads, either new or upgrades of existing roads, is also necessary. About 59.5% will run at grade, 5.6% on viaduct and 34.9% in tunnel. The highway will carry three lanes and an emergency lane per direction between Meda and Vimercate in Milan province, while all the other roadways will carry only two lanes and an emergency lane in each direction. Visit www.pedemontana.com 45/07.

By the end of the year, the so-called Pedemontana highway project in Veneto is expected to be awarded. Pedemontana means foothills in Italian. A “pedemontana” is generally a road at the foot of a mountain or hills. There are two bidders. The first candidate includes Cintra (68%), Merloni Finanziaria (32%) and Ferrovial. Cintra is the concession arm of Ferrovial. The second joint venture includes Sacyr Vallehermoso, Sacyr’s concession arm Itinere Infraestructuras, Sipal and INC general contractor. Final design and land expropriation will take place in 2008. Construction would start presumably in 2009 and be concluded in 2012. The route is 64.4 km, running from the A31 Valdastico junction near Dueville to the junction with the A27 Mestre-Belluno near Spresiano. Nine false tunnels are planned (Fosse, Schiavonesca, FS Bassano-Padova, FS Bassano-Castelfranco, Altivole, Riese, Trevignano, Montebelluna and Villorba). The Priabona, under the Vicenza Prealps, would be 6 km long. This toll highway will accomodate each way two 3.75 m lanes, a 3 m emergency lane, a 0.50 m shoulder and a 2.5 m central reservation. 45/07.

Open call for bids, deadline 15th January, 2008 for planning and construction of the 1,745 m city tunnel Waidhofen an der Ybbs. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=255096-2007, OJ S 210, or contact Land Niederösterreich, St. Pölten, tel. +43 27429005. E-mail post.st5@noel.gv.at or post.lad3materialamt@noel.gv.at 45/07. Restricted call for bids, deadline 4th December, 2007 for construction supervision of the 1,745 m city tunnel Waidhofen an der Ybbs. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=256687-2007, OJ S 211, or contact Land Niederösterreich, St. Pölten, tel. +43 27429005. E-mail post.st5@noel.gv.at or post.lad3materialamt@noel.gv.at 45/07.

Tender notice, deadline 25th December, 2007 for supply, installation and commissioning of electro-mechanical systems for the Kadiköy-Kartal metro (power supply and traction force, signalling, control and communication, ventilation, lighting, escalators and lifts, plumbing, drainage, installation of a traffic control centre, etc.). The Kadiköy-Kartal metro is a 21.7 km double-track underground line with 16 stations. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=247239-2007, OJ S 204, or contact Istanbul metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul, fax +90 2124494180. E-mail raylisistem@ibb.gov.tr 44/07.

Open call for tenders, deadline 30th November, 2007 for construction management of the extension to Sabadell of the Barcelona-Sabadell line operated by the Catalan railways. Click es/143. Other tenders in E-News Weekly 43/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=244427-2007, OJ S 201, or contact GISA, Barcelona, fax +34 934444488. E-mail contractacio@gisa.es 44/07.

Open call for tenders, deadline 21st January, 2008 for construction of the Estádio do Dragão-Venda Nova section of the Gondomar line, including a 980 m tunnel. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=252962-2007, OJ S 208, or contact Metro do Porto, Porto, fax +361 225081001. E-mail geral@metro-porto.pt 44/07.

Open call for tenders, deadline 12th December, 2007 for construction of 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. Civil works include a false tunnel in Secondigliano station; Secondigliano station; a mined tunnel between Secondigliano and Di Vittorio stations; Di Vittorio station, and its associated connecting tunnels, shafts and cavern; ventilation, surge and emergency chambers; other ancillary works; and the geotechnical monitoring. This is a re-bid. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=248420-2007, OJ S 204, or contact Metrocampania Nordest, Naples, fax +39 0817897294. E-mail seg.investimenti@metrocampanianordest.it 44/07.