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.

The latest version of Google translator is sufficiently technically accurate for us to be able to add six languages to our tunnelbuilder.com output. German, French, Dutch, Japanese, Swedish and Russian are now options to our established English, Spanish and Italian versions. In addition to offering a wider choice to our readers, we are also giving advertisers at tunnelbuilder.com greater exposure, a bonus that will add value to their portfolio. For more about how to advertise at tunnelbuilder.com, contact sam@tunnelbuilder.com. Of necessity, space is limited, so act now and catch our 2009 prices! 47/09.

On 02.11.2009 the 3,250 m Kjøsnesfjorden bypass on RV5 between Hammarsgrovi and Stølsneset in Sogn og Fjordane region in Norway was opened, including the Støylsnes tunnel (2,660 m and T5 profile). Cost was EUR 29.5 million. Work started on 17.08.2007 and breakthrough was achieved on 25.11.2008. Mika AS handled the construction, and Mesta Elektro AS the equipment. Visit www.vegvesen.no/Vegprosjekter/rv5hammarsgrovi, www.mika.no and www.mesta.no. 47/09.

The 110 sq m twin-track O Curro tunnel, at 840 m, is the longest of the eight planned tunnels on the 13.2 km Silleda (Dornelas) to Vedra-Boqueixón section of the high-speed line from Ourense to Santiago, Spain. O Curro tunnel is located in Silleda municipality of Pontevedra province. NATM techniques were used, followed by drainage works, sealing and coating. For more, click es/45. 44/09

British company J D Neuhaus manufactures air-operated cranes for use in hazardous areas as standard. These include options for increased spark protection and full bespoke assemblies to individual specification. All products carry worldwide service backup. For more about the full JDN range read their most recent press release. 45/09.

Herrenknecht is presenting examples of innovative high-performance tunnelling technology on the German-Chinese Esplanade in Wuhan. Seven TBMs from the company will construct nearly 17 km of subway line 2 in the city. Read the full press release. 45/09.

On 30.10.2009, Quadrilatero Marche-Umbria SpA approved the Foligno-Pontelatrave section of SS 77, which comprises 17.5 km of roadway in Umbria to Colfiorito and 18.3 km in Marche region, with about 60% in tunnel. The total value is EUR1.95 billion.

The first Fire Protection and Safety in Tunnels conference is being held in Paris 17-18 November, 2009. The programme is designed to help attendees comply with industry safety standards, optimize risk management, and achieve safety excellence. With road and rail tailored streams, individual legislation and issues relating to these areas can be discussed in-depth. Some of the leading figures in tunnel safety and operation have been enlisted for guidance through these complex issues. For the full programme of speakers, and the issues they will address, go to www.vibevents.com/fpst/index.html. 44/09.

Construction of the 5.5 km-long Eskoriatza-Aramaio section on the Vitoria-Bilbao-San Sebastian high-speed railway, of which 3.5 km is underground, is going well. Excavation of the 390 m-long twin track Mazmela tunnel was completed on 16.10.2009, a week after excavation of the similar 475 m-long Uruburu I tunnel commenced. Both tunnels, which have a cross section of 85 sq m, are located in Escoriatza municipality, Guipuzcoa province. Click es/100 for history of this project. 44/09.

CAT 328D LCR compact radius excavator, the first of its type to operate in Switzerland, is at work on the A9 Autoroute project near Visp. With a rear overhang of just 305 mm and tailswing radius of 1.9 m, the machine provides a stable, compact, productive unit for tunnelling contractors that is ideally suited to work in restricted areas. Read the full press release and click here to find out more about Caterpillar products for tunnelling. 42/09.

DYWIDAG-Systems International (DSI) is a global network of wholly-owned subsidiaries and associated companies with a key focus on developing, manufacturing and supplying high-grade products and systems for the underground market. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, the group has more than 2,000 employees worldwide. As a result of consolidating its underground activities, DSI is able to provide a full range of strata control products backed with technical support and innovation to customers everywhere. All of DSI’s North and Central American underground activities are coordinated from a central production facility in Salt Lake City, US. Europe, Middle East, and Africa underground activities are coordinated in Pasching near Linz, Austria, while the Asia Pacific DSI central production plant is located in Bennetts Green/Newcastle, Australia. In South America, DSI supplies customized products and systems to regional underground markets from its local production facilities in Brazil, Chile and Peru. Additional production facilities in several other South American countries are currently being established. Here as everywhere, customers profit from the transfer of technology between DSI subsidiaries that have developed an expertise in all aspects of strata control technology.

The latest and largest Sandvik production facility is located in China’s Shanghai Jiading Industrial Zone, and has the capacity to manufacture most of the Sandvik Mining and Construction product range, from drill rigs to crushers and loaders. The 24,000 sq m Jiading factory has the finest production technology, and is triple certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OSHAS 18001 standards.

The 40 km-long Downtown Line DTL, which is fully underground, is being built in three stages. DTL1 is targeted for completion in 2013, DTL2 in 2015, and DTL3 in 2016. The completed line will facilitate direct travel from the north-western and eastern areas of the island to the Central Business District (CBD) and Marina Bay. Click sg/23 and visit www.lta.gov.sg. 42/09.

On 24.09.2009, the 9.9 m-diameter NFM Technologies TBM completed excavation of the east tube of Los Pontones rail tunnel (5,939 m) on the 6.1 km-long section from Pajares tunnel to Sotiello, in Lena commune, Asturias province, part of Variante de Pajares. Along the way, the 2,000 t TBM with 7,900 kW of installed power excavated 1,105.5 m in one month, exceeding the previous record of 1,012 m for a +9 m-diameter TBM set on Madrid metro extensions.

Of the 151.8 km of the tunnel system under the Gotthard, a total of around 137 km, or almost 91%, has now been excavated. Less than 5 km of the 57 km base tunnel itself remains to be broken through. On 16.09.2009, shortly before 4 pm, Herrenknecht TBM Gabi II broke through between Erstfeld and Amsteg in the west tunnel, completing the excavation works for the base tunnel on the north side of the Gotthard. By covering a distance of 7.2 km in only 18 months, the TBM arrived in Amsteg half a year earlier than planned. Read the Herrenknecht press release.

US-based firm Echelon is to deploy its traffic guidance solution to control traffic at the Elb-Tunnel in Hamburg, Germany. The traffic system uses LonWorks control technology, which uses embedded light emitting diodes to guide cars through the 3.2km tunnel optimising traffic flow and reducing pollution, according to Echelon.