The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

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.

As technology improves, longer and deeper tunnels can be built to reduce travel time, connect areas together, reduce risk of landslides, avalanches or closed roads in winter or just cope with growing road traffic. The 18 km Zhongnanshan tunnel in China is the world's longest twin bored road tunnel. As more and more such tunnels will be opened in the country, a team of researchers  has tested a tunnel painted in a colourful way with different levels of light to make for an interesting drive.

A team of researchers from the Tongji University has developed a graphic system to avoid visual tiredness of users driving in road tunnels and therefore reduce the risk of accident. The system won the first prize in a national academic contest on transport technologies. It consists of painting the tunnel entrance and walls with a series of wave-shaped arrows and designs, in bright colours, which intensity diminishes as drivers get to the middle of the tunnel and increases back towards the exit.

Almost all tunnels nowadays are dressed in a monotonous yellow or grey colour. In addition to the fact that surrounding information disappears, this can easily wear drivers out. According to the research, once inside a tunnel, more than half of road users tend not to pay attention to the road as a whole but to only a few metres ahead of their vehicle, so that the disappearance of surrounding information does not enable them to assess adequately the speed and other aspects. The longer a tunnel, the more risk of accidents.

The researchers tested more than 100 motorists in a simulator and found that 80% were driving more safely in a painted tunnel. The Tongji University team plans to convince the Shanghai authorities to implement the system in one of the future tunnels built under the Hangpu river, between the historical old city area in Puxi and the other bank in Pudong. 30/07.