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Sofia metro gets underway

Sofia metro gets underwayWork began in July, 2009 on the new stretch of Sofia metro line 1 to connect the Obelisk - Serdika and Vasil Levski Stadium - Mladost 1 sections, which themselves will be ... More Information

Barcelona St Just tunnel looking good

Barcelona St Just tunnel looking goodIn November, 2008, two 5.98 m-diameter double shield TBMs, one from SELI and the other from Herrenknecht, started to bore the 11.5 km-long St Just water tunnel ... More Information

Pajares twin tunnels completed

Pajares twin tunnels completedThe second tube of the 24.6 km-long Pajares twin tunnel on the high-speed railway link between Leon and Asturias in northern Spain was completed on 11.07.2009. The ... More Information

Santa Cristina bypass opens in Val Gardena

Santa Cristina bypass opens in Val GardenaThe new 1.6 km Santa Cristina bypass opened in Bozen province on 17.07.2009. Overall cost was EUR32.1 million, of which EUR4.8 million was spent on Monte ... More Information

Two more NATM tunnels completed on the Madrid-Murcia high speed line

Two more NATM tunnels completed on the Madrid-Murcia high speed lineThe single-tube, 85 sq m section, 2.2 km-long Loma del Carrascal tunnel on the 10.9 km-long Cuenca-Olalla section of the ... More Information

Mühlhäuser catalogue goes online at tunnelbuilder.com

Mühlhäuser catalogue goes online at tunnelbuilder.comOur good friends at Mühlhäuser, who have been celebrating over 100 years in the mining and tunnelling equipment business, have entrusted ... More Information

Major HATS award to Leighton Asia JV

Major HATS award to Leighton Asia JVThe design/construct contract for a 7.5 km-long drill/blast tunnelled section of Hong Kong's latest sewage conveyance system, value EUR235 million, has been ... More Information

Mike Rispin to head Normet in North America

Mike Rispin to head Normet in North AmericaNormet, the Iisalmi, Finland based provider of underground mining and tunnelling equipment and care solutions has announced the appointment of Mike Rispin ... More Information

Lyon metro Line B extension starts

Lyon metro Line B extension startsOn 09.07.2009 the 1.7 km extension of Line B of the Lyon metro from Gerland to Oullins, with a crossing of the Rhone river, got underway. A 9.5 m diameter TBM will ... More Information

Spanish line advances towards France

Spanish line advances towards FranceOn 07.07.2009 the 649 m-long Sant Andreu tunnel on the 3.3 km Sant Julia de Ramis-Cornella del Terri subsection of the Madrid-Barcelona-French border high-speed ... More Information

BASF Meyco updates its company profile

BASF Meyco updates its company profileLongtime sponsor of tunnelbuilder.com BASF Meyco has updated its profile to reflect the changes to the company over recent years, and its focus on expanding ... More Information

Progress on Madrid-Castilla La Mancha-Valencia-Murcia high-speed link

Progress on Madrid-Castilla La Mancha-Valencia-Murcia high-speed linkOn 02.07.2009, the 2.2 km-long Loma de Carrascal tunnel on the 10.9 km Cuenca-Olalla subsection of the Madrid-Castilla La ... More Information

Breakthrough on Camarillas railway bypass

Breakthrough on Camarillas railway bypassAfter a 140-day drive, on 03.07.2009, TBM Nenica broke through on the longest tunnel (2,250 m) of the Camarillas railway bypass on Spain's ... More Information

CAT man for Lovat

CAT man for LovatDick Cooper, general manager of Caterpillar Global Mining Operations for the Melbourne and Burnie facilities, has taken Lovat Tunnel Equipment under his wing, succeeding Rick Lovat ... More Information

ITA sets up training foundation

ITA sets up training foundationThe goal of the ITA-CET foundation is to be the link between universities, research facilities and consultancies and all types of professionals working in the ... More Information

BarChip fibre passes ten year milestone

BarChip fibre passes ten year milestoneBarChip is a highly engineered synthetic fibre produced by Elasto-Plastic Concrete (Europe) Ltd that has been developed to meet the toughest demands of the ... More Information

Singapore LTA awards two DTL2 stations to Sembawang

Singapore LTA awards two DTL2 stations to SembawangSembawang Engineers and Constructors, part of the Punj Lloyd group, has pocketed the EUR186 million contract for Botanic Gardens and Stevens ... More Information

Robbins HP TBMs bore water tunnels in Andhra Pradesh

Robbins HP TBMs bore water tunnels in Andhra Pradesh Minister for Major Irrigation Ponnala Lakshmaiah formally launched the drilling of the second tunnel of the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda project in ... More Information

GIA wins in small section Slovakian tunnel

GIA wins in small section Slovakian tunnelA complete line-up of GIA tunnelling equipment comprising two locomotives, four shuttle cars, and a crawler-mounted 9HR/B Haggloader were used by Skanska BS ... More Information

Robbins HP TBMs bore water tunnels in Andhra Pradesh

Robbins HP TBMs bore water tunnels in Andhra PradeshOn 24.06.2009 a 10.0 m High Performance (HP) Robbins Double Shield started to bore under the Nagarjuna Sagar National Park, the second tunnel of ... More Information

Simple wireless security

Simple wireless securityPrevention of unauthorised entry into tunnelling sites has never been more important to protect both personnel and equipment as well as the general public from site ... More Information

Zurich western bypass open to traffic

Zurich western bypass open to traffic The A3 western bypass in Zurich, including the Uetliberg Tunnel (2 x 4,430 m) and the Aescher tunnel (2,176 m, 2,142 m), opened to traffic on 04.05.2009. The ... More Information

Monte Grosso and Vispa tunnels open in Savona province

Monte Grosso and Vispa tunnels open in Savona provinceThe third lot of the ex SS 29 Colle di Cadibona bypass from km 133 to km 138.150, including the Big Mountain (1,480 m) and Vispa (480 m) ... More Information

BASF launches "Expanding Horizons" campaign for underground construction

BASF launches "Expanding Horizons" campaign for underground constructionAll underground solutions to be marketed under MEYCO brand. click here 25/09. More Information

Tunnel advance control system

Tunnel advance control systemOur good friend Uli Ramminger from tacs has issued his June, 2009 newsletter in time for RETC at Las Vegas, where he is exhibiting the latest tacs guidance equipment. To ... More Information

Modern tunnel guidance system

Modern tunnel guidance systemPPS guidance systems are designed specifically for TBMs and roadheaders, giving the operator all of the necessary information to keep his machine on course and to return ... More Information

Normet: Best year ever in 2008

Normet: Best year ever in 2008For Normet Group, one of the worldwide leading manufacturers of mining and tunnelling machinery, 2008 was the best year in its history. Its turnover reached 107 million ... More Information

Early breakthrough at Gotthard base tunnel

Early breakthrough at Gotthard base tunnelThe TBM Gabi I started driving southwards from Erstfeld on 4.12.2007. Some eighteen months later, and half a year earlier than planned, it reached its ... More Information

New breakthrough in Gotthard base tunnel in Switzerland

New breakthrough in Gotthard base tunnel in SwitzerlandThe TBM Gabi I started driving southwards from Erstfeld on December 4, 2007 and eighteen months later, and half a year earlier than planned, it ... More Information

Work begins on largest US mass transit project

Work begins on largest US mass transit project Work is scheduled to begin this month on the Mass Transit Tunnel to link New Jersey with New York. The DoT has committed $3 billion to the project over ... More Information

Metroul/Systra consortium awarded Romania Metro

Metroul/Systra consortium awarded Romania MetroThe EUR9.6 million construction supervision contract for Line 5 of Bucharest metro has been awarded to the Metroul/Systra consortium. Read ... More Information

World's longest tunnel page

World's longest tunnel pageOur old friends Gunnar Lotsberg and Eugenio Merzagora have been revising and updating WLTP, our companion website, and seem to have finally nailed every operating tunnel ... More Information

New Atlas Copco long hole rock drills

New Atlas Copco long hole rock drillsAtlas Copco has launched two new versions of its well-proven COP 1838 hydraulic rock drill for underground long hole drilling applications. Read more. More Information

Austria and Italy agree Brenner tunnel construction

Austria and Italy agree Brenner tunnel construction Last week, in Rome, the transport ministers of Austria and Italy signed a definitive agreement on the construction of the 56 km-long Brenner rail ... More Information

Surplus 6.44 m-diameter TBM for sale

Surplus 6.44 m-diameter TBM for saleA 2005 vintage MHI 6.44 m-diameter EPB that has tunnelled less than 3.2 km is available in the US for immediate sale, together with trailing gear and most ... More Information

Villa Vomano-Teramo section of A24 commissioned

Villa Vomano-Teramo section of A24 commissionedThe dualling of the Villa Vomano-Teramo section of Italy's A24 Tirrano-Adriatic highway, together with the 826 m-long Carestia tunnel, was completed on ... More Information

Tunnelling News

4000-tonne machines dig arterial route under Melbourne's west

The West Gate Tunnel Project is in full swing beneath Melbourne's inner west, with tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Bella and Vida at the helm... More Information

Gotthard drilling machine gets no further - now it has to be blown up

Forced break in the Gotthard road tunnel: After 190 meters, the drilling machine working on the second tube has come to an end for the time being... More Information

Construction begins on 6 Cross Island Line Phase 2 stations

Tunnel Boring Machine measuring 12.8m in diameter. The machine will “bore through the ground only once for the construction of the tunnel which ... More Information

Tunnel boring machine returns after installing $22 million outfall

A 19.5 tonne tunnel-boring machine docked at Onehunga Wharf on Friday afternoon after successfully tunnelling the $22m Clarks Beach Outfall over ... More Information

Scarborough Subway Extension tunnelling progresses following maintenance stop

The remaining portion of the tunnel will be delivered by Scarborough Transit Connect, the development partner for the project's stations, rail and ... More Information

World's Deepest Underwater Tunnel to Have Cars Drive 16 Miles Under the Sea

Norway is building what is to become the longest and deepest road tunnel under the sea. The Rogfast project, measuring 26.7 kilometers (about 16.5 ... More Information

Tunnelling underway for National Grid’s 3.4km power tunnel in Snowdonia

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) Buddug has commenced excavation of National Grid’s 3.4km power tunnel in Wales’ Eryri National Park, otherwise known as Snowdonia. The tunnel is part of ... More Information

CPK signs contract for construction of HSR tunnel in Łódź

The contract for the construction of a 4.6 km long, 14-metre wide High-Speed Rail (HSR) tunnel will be carried out by construction company PORR. The project is valued at approximately PLN ... More Information

Underneath the busy Baltimore streets, the Howard Street Tunnel gets its makeover

A squad of construction workers descend daily under the streets of Baltimore. They labour deep down, in the semi-secret and highly restricted ... More Information

London Power Tunnels Milestone

We're thrilled to announce that our second 2.5km high-voltage circuit between Hurst and Crayford is now live. This £1 billion project is rewiring London, strengthening energy supply, and ... More Information

U.S. Tunneling Professionals Convene in Dallas at RETC 2025

The event drew approximately 1,400 people. Another highlight of the conference was the presentation of the now annual Underground Construction ... More Information

Construction of NY and NJ GatewayTunnel hits halfway mark

People are looking down at the ground from the Highline on Manhattan's West Side. Some parts of the new train tunnel structure ... More Information

Silicon Valley BART extension seeks new tunneling contractor

Silicon Valley BART extension seeks new tunneling contractor for construction. Maguire told reporters during a briefing Monday morning. He noted that VTA is trying to fill a $1.2 billion ... More Information

Tunneling In The Digital Age: Rethinking Subsurface Infrastructure

But successful construction is just the start of the journey. Underground infrastructure is a long-term investment—just look at the London Underground ... More Information

Sydney Moves Forward with Final Tunnelling for Harbour Project

Sydney prepares for the arrival of the largest TBMs in the Southern Hemisphere as the Western Harbour Tunnel project enters its final tunnelling ... More Information

Metrolinx seeks help to name 2 of its massive Ontario Line tunnel digging machines

Metrolinx is now accepting names for two of its giant tunnel boring machines (TBMs), which will be used for twin 16-metre-deep and six-kilometre-long ... More Information

Deutsche Bahn awards contract for Munich S-Bahn project

The contract involves structural works for the expansion, including the construction of tunnels and an underground station. The Tunnel Ostbahnhof JV, ... More Information

Excavation completed on Italian side of Brenner Base Tunnel

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) named “Flavia” successfully bored through the Alps beneath the Mules 2–3 section, reaching the Austrian border. More Information

Giant tunnel borer set for Shantou Bay project

A giant tunnel boring machine has been installed for tunnelling under Shantou Bay in Shantou, South China's Guangdong province. [Photo provided to ... More Information

€0.4bn road and tunnel project in Georgia

Work is proceeding on the Kvesheti-Kobi road and tunnel scheme in Georgia. The scheme is part of a larger project, being carried out with Chinese ... More Information

Lahore to transform with Rs49 billion tunnel boring project

Pakistan, April 27 -- The federal government has approved Lahore's Rs49 billion Tunnel Boring Project, marking a major development for the city... More Information

Construction at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

The 2,100-foot-long tunnel connects the terminal to parking facilities and the tramway leading to the RTA public rail line. During the project, two of ... More Information

AFFHOLDER AND J.F. SHEA TEAM UP ON $700 MILLION CONTRACT

The tunneling subsidiary, Affholder LLC, will lead a joint venture with J.F. Shea Construction, Inc., to build the I-35 Capital Express Central ... More Information

Factory Testing Complete on DC Water's first tunnel boring machine for the Potomac River

Mary passed all the necessary requirements and is one of two TBM's on the project. The tunnel is part of DC Water's Clean Rivers Project, to ... More Information

Work on Chennai Metro tunnel racing to a finish

The machine Flamingo, which started boring in 2023 for the tunnel linking Light House with Thirumayilai, is expected to reach the other end in ... More Information

CPK awards contract to build high-speed rail tunnel in Lodz, Poland

The tunnel, to be constructed using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), will have a ... More Information

Inside HS2: Meet London's miners working on the Northolt tunnels

We are on a tunnel boring machine (TBM) inside High Speed Two's huge Northolt tunnels. These tunnel boring machines are part of a tunnelling ... More Information

Ontario Begins Construction Of Last Tunnel Segment Of The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension

The remaining eastern portion of tunnel construction (500-meter twin tunnels) will use the sequential excavation method, with daily progress of ... More Information

Norway is building the world's longest and deepest subsea road beneath its fjords

We have subsea road tunnels which have that construction. And the new tunnel between Germany and Denmark, there they are laying down cases and put ... More Information

CERN releases report on the feasibility of a possible Future Circular Collider

The estimated cost of construction of the FCC electron–positron stage, including the tunnel and all the infrastructure, is 15 billion Swiss francs... More Information

TBM break through on Auckland's £915M wastewater megaproject completes 16.2km tunnel

Auckland's major wastewater infrastructure project, the Central Interceptor, has reached a significant milestone with the final breakthrough of ... More Information

In pics: construction site of Chongming-Taicang tunnel

A smart assembling vehicle works at "Linghang" large diameter shield tunneling machine at the construction site of the Chongming-Taicang tunnel, part of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu ... More Information

IN PICTURES: Spectacular images of the removal of HS2's huge tunnelling machine

TBM Sushila was used to construct part of the Northolt Tunnel – an 8.4-mile tunnel ... construction/london-tunnels/progress-3/northolt-tunnel/tbm- ... More Information

Historic tunnels uncovered beneath Salisbury station during £5.3M upgrade project

Engineers from Network Rail and South Western Railway have uncovered a network of tunnels and rooms beneath Salisbury station during ongoing £5.3M upgrades to the station’s forecourt... More Information

Massive $450m road project connecting Russia and Georgia with six bridges & five tunnels

Massive $450m road project connecting Russia and Georgia with six bridges & five tunnels. The new road will pass through Georgia along a trade route ... More Information

Buca Metro Tunnel Excavations Reached 50 Percent Level

Important progress is being made in the construction of the line, where four tunnel boring machines (TBMs), each 100 meters long, 7 meters wide and ... More Information

'Very promising' narrow-reef boring technology nearing rollout stage

A novel tunnel boring machine (TBM) will open up Bokoni's narrow tabular dipping PGM orebody to allow narrow-reef boring to take place, so that ... More Information

A vast undersea tunnel is being built

The 7.4 billion-euro ($7.7 billion) project is a huge undertaking, in every sense. Each section of the tunnel is colossal. These concrete structures ... More Information

National Grid gets planning permission for Grain to Tilbury upgrade with new Thames tunnel

National Grid has secured full planning approval for the Grain to Tilbury project, which includes a new power tunnel under the River Thames... More Information