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.

A dedicated tunnel construction version of the Caterpillar® 328D LCR compact radius excavator is proving highly productive on the A9 Autoroute construction project near Visp, in Switzerland. The first machine of its kind to operate on a Swiss contract, the 328D LCR uses a special dedicated front attachment designed and constructed by German Caterpillar dealer Zeppelin.

Sharjah’s Diftah – Shis highway, a route that will link the port of Khor Fakkan on the East Coast of Sharjah Emirate to Diftah in the central region, blasted its way into the local record books this week as the project team achieved their first of two tunnel breakthroughs – and in turn created the UAE’s longest rock tunnel

Halcrow has been appointed to the role of owner’s engineer for Jordan’s critical USD 1 billion water conveyance system. Jordan is considered one of the ten most water-scarce countries in the world and city residents are subject to severe water restrictions. High population growth and the depletion of groundwater reserves are threatening to aggravate this situation in the future.

EFNARC, the European Federation for Specialist Construction Chemicals, has launched the EFNARC Nozzleman Certification Scheme. In the past, EFNARC has produced well-respected Industry Guidelines and has made significant contributions to European Standards and now believes that it is time to concentrate on the other key link in providing high quality sprayed concrete – the Nozzleman.

The second phase of the Cairo Metro Line 3, launched in parallel with the construction of the first phase, includes separate packages covering civil, electromechanical and railway works, and is scheduled for completion in October, 2013 after 51 months of work. This new section consists of a 6.2 km underground line extension eastwards, starting at Abassia station and ending at Heliopolis, with four new stations at Cairo Fair, Stadium, Kolliet Al-Banat, and Al-Ahram Street.

The EUR458 million Dali-Lijiang single-track railway line opened to traffic on 28.09.2009 in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The 162.4 km-long track, designed for train speeds of 120 km/h, will shorten the journey time from four hours by bus to less than an hour and a half by train. The rail line, with 47 tunnels totalling 78 km in length and 76 bridges totalling 22 km, will cater to nearly five million people from Dali, Lijiang, Diqing and Nujiang. Construction began in December, 2004, when completion was set for June, 2008. However, complex terrain and repeated revisions of the plan, including a decision to use electricity for traction instead of diesel power, led to delays. The line will next be extended to Shangri-la, and then to Lhasa in Tibet. 41/09

SELI has signed a new EUR15 million contract with Turkish commissioner ILCI INSAAT SANAYI VE TICARET A.S. for construction of a 17 km-long water tunnel in the rural district of Suruc. The tunnel is designed to improve the irrigation system in this plain region near the Syrian border. SELI is to supply a 7.83 m-diameter double shield TBM, auxiliary equipment, and full technical assistance for boring operations and equipment maintenance. The tunnel will be lined with 30 cm-thick hexagonal precast concrete segments. Excavation is expected to begin in Spring, 2010 and to last about 3 years. Visit www.selitunnel.com and www.ilci.com.tr. 40/09.

Michigan-based American Chemical Technologies (ACT) produces a range of fire resistant and readily biodegradable hydraulic fluids formulated for use in high performance hydraulic and hydrostatic drive systems in machines such as TBMs, roadheaders and loaders. ACT brand names UCON Trident AW anti-wear hydraulic fluids for year-round use, and EcoSafe FR fire resistant fluid for hydraulic drives, are already well-known in the tunnelling industry. ACT gear oils, greases and other premium industrial products are also available with the same pride in personal service. Click here for information the full line of ACT fluids and lubricants.

Four Lovat 6.12 m diameter RME241SE EPBs will be utilized in the construction of the 8.6 km-long Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension, located in Ontario, Canada. The subway extension will have 6.7 km of twin bored tunnels extending north-westward from the existing subway, and will include six stations. Two machines are to be delivered in Winter, 2010, and two in Spring, 2011. For more on the project visit http://transit.toronto.on.ca/archives/maps/miguelsyyap/index.html and www.lovat.com. 40/09.

The International Water Mist Association is arranging a seminar about water mist technology in Copenhagen on October 6, 2009. The seminar provides an opportunity to learn more about the technology, national and international standards, the protection of different hazards, etc. The full program is available for download at www.iwma.net.

InnoTek Srl was at the recent WTC 2009 conference to present a new series of products and solutions for underground works. Five product families have been developed to increase on-site safety and improve TBM availability. Among these are polymer resins, with superior performance and low fire risk; surfactants and polymers that generate constant pressure against the excavation front, decreasing energy demand and facilitating ground removal; non-toxic gaskets that prevent penetration of water, mud and dirt into the TBM bearing and shield; head tools, with extremely low wear that improve excavation performances; and materials for prefabricated concrete segments, including guide bars and the all-new nylon maxi-screw and plug that feature extremely high pull-out and shear resistances. The company is currently involved in metro construction in Salonicco, Rome, and Tehran; railway tunnels at Brenner, Pajares, and Llobregat; hydro at Beles e Gibe in Ethiopia; and a road tunnel at Los Bronches in Chile. Visit www.innoteksrl.com. 39/09.

New York City-based engineering consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff is recommending shareholder approval of its acquisition by London-based infrastructure firm Balfour Beatty at a price of EUR427 million (USD626 million). Both companies have long histories in tunnelling. Balfour Beatty has recently been involved in the Gotthard base tunnel in Switzerland, UK’s A3 Hindhead tunnel, Porto metro in Portugal, and Seattle bus tunnel renovation in the US. PB has projects such as New York City Subway, Shanghai metro and DTSS in Singapore in its portfolio. For more visit www.balfourbeatty.com or www.pbworld.com. 39/09.

The authorities in the Australian city of Brisbane will rely on loans to finance the EUR1 billion, 4.7 km-long Northern Link tunnel project under design by SKM and Connell Wagner, which is due for construction start by late-2010 with completion in 2014. The twin-tube tunnel will link the M3 Inner City Bypass at Herston with the M5 Western Freeway at Toowong. Tenders for the tunnel's construction and operation will be called soon. Visit www.northernlinkeis.com.au. 39/09.

A pair of 14.93 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield TBMs have each successfully completed 3 km of tunnelling beneath the Yangtze river at Nanjing in Jiangsu, China for twin 3-lane roadways. Water bearing gravel and silt was encountered, with pressures up to 7.5 bar, and cover to riverbed as thin as 30 m. Visit the Herrenknecht website, or get more from Kulke.Florian@herrenknecht.de. 39/09.

Traficon of Belgium has 25 years field experience in video image processing for traffic analysis, with more than 60,000 video detection sensors operational worldwide. The company has been awarded a contract to provide its Automatic Incident Detection system to 22 tunnels in the Paris Region. For the full press release, click here. 38/09.