Tunnelbuilder Promoting the world's tunnelling industry to a huge qualified audience

View the Spanish Tunnelbuilder website View the Italian Tunnelbuilder website

Archive - News

Featured News

BART Silicon Valley Phase II: Tunnel Work On Track, On Budget

Construction of the second phase of the BART Silicon Valley Extension — the six-mile leg running from San Jose’s West Portal through downtown toward Berryessa — remains “on ... More Information

United States – Scenario 1 for Phase II of the BART Silicon Valley Extension

At the special meeting held on October 17, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) - after hearing the presentation of the peer review conducted by ... More Information

Tenders for the construction of the Szczecin bypass with a tunnel under the Oder begin in Poland

Press Release - The Szczecin Western Bypass (ZOS) on the S6 expressway will be nearly 50 km long, including a 5 km tunnel under the Oder River in the Police area - the longest road tunnel in ... More Information

South Australia - Double down the TBMs purchase for River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project

South Australia - Double down the TBMs purchase for River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project

On 29/09/2024 the South Australian Government and the T2D Alliance have formally sealed a contract to purchase three initial TBMs from world-leading manufacturer Herrenknecht. Infrastructure and ... More Information

VTA Celebrates its West Portal Groundbreaking Milestone for BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project

VTA Celebrates its West Portal Groundbreaking Milestone for BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project

On Friday, June 14th Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) held a historic ground breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of its West Portal facility. This is the site where ... More Information

VTA’s Official TBM Naming Contest for the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project is Live!

VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project is excited to announce the launch of its Official TBM Naming Contest for the machine that will bore the 8.05 km (5-mile tunnel) portion of ... More Information

Cost and Schedule Changes for VTA's BART Project

Cost and Schedule Changes for VTA's BART Project

VTA announced the updated cost and schedule for VTA’s Phase II Project at October 20, 2023 Board of Directors meeting. These changes reflect the Project’s design progress and market ... More Information

BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project - Preparing for Early Construction Activities at Newhall Yard site

In preparation for construction of VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project, VTA’s tunnel and trackwork contractor, Kiewit, Shea, Traylor (KST) have developed a Construction ... More Information

State of California Awards EUR344 (USD375 million) for VTA’s BART Project 

On 31/01/2023 the State of California awarded EUR344 million (USD375 million) to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for its BART extension into Downtown San Jose and Santa ... More Information

Feds Clear the Way for VTA to Pursue Billions More in Funding for BART Silicon Valley Extension

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) just received authority to pursue federal funding for up to 50% of the cost of Phase II of the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project. The ... More Information

Independent Study Confirms VTA Plans for a Single Bore Tunnel

An independent study by world renowned tunnelling experts, confirms the Valley Transportation Authority’s single bore tunnel design is the right approach to deliver the BART Silicon Valley ... More Information

Innovative Design Suggestions Surface for BART Silicon Valley Phase II

On 26/08/2022 a joint committee of VTA and BART Board members will discuss the evolving design of the VTA’s BART Silicon Valley’s extension project into San Jose and Santa Clara: click ... More Information

VTA Board Approves First Major Contract of BART Extension to Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara

Press release - At its May 5th regular board meeting, the Santa Clara Valley (VTA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to authorize the General Manager/CEO to execute the first in a series of ... More Information

STRATA WORLDWIDE BECOMES RE-SYSTEMS’ EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR GEL-TECH POLYMER RUBBER GEL TECHNOLOGY

STRATA WORLDWIDE BECOMES RE-SYSTEMS’ EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR GEL-TECH POLYMER RUBBER GEL TECHNOLOGY

Press release - RE-Systems Group Americas and Strata Worldwide have signed a new distribution agreement naming Strata Worldwide the exclusive distributor of RE-Systems’ innovative Gel-Tech ... More Information

Single Bore Tunnel Remains the Best Option for BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project

Since 2016, the 8 km (5-mile) tunnel portion of the 9.66 km (6-mile), 4-station planned BART extension through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara has been the most studied and talked about aspect of ... More Information

FTA Releases Formal Intention to Expedite Funding for BART Phase II Project

VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project achieved another major milestone to help advance the biggest infrastructure project in Santa Clara County history. VTA received a Letter of Intent ... More Information

Lunchtime Lecture Series - #7 Tunnel Refurbishment

Event by ITACET Foundation for Continuous Education and Training on Tunnelling and Underground Space Use. Held online on Tue, Sep 21, 2021, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM (your local time). This seventh episode ... More Information

BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Program announcement

The following protocols and instructions apply to the Pre-SOQ meeting that Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) intends to convene with private sector Participants who have downloaded ... More Information

STRATA WORLDWIDE BECOMES RE-SYSTEMS’ EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR GEL-TECH POLYMER RUBBER GEL TECHNOLOGY

STRATA WORLDWIDE BECOMES RE-SYSTEMS’ EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR GEL-TECH POLYMER RUBBER GEL TECHNOLOGY

APRIL 27, 2021 – RE-Systems Group Americas and Strata Worldwide have signed a new distribution agreement naming Strata Worldwide the exclusive distributor of RE-Systems’ innovative ... More Information

BART Phase II Project First to Submit for Critical Federal Funding Program

BART Phase II Project First to Submit for Critical Federal Funding Program

VTA achieved two critical milestones for the BART Phase II Project being the first transit agency in the nation to submit an application for EUR1.43 bn (USD1.74 bn) through the Federal Transit ... More Information

RFQ S20221 BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Program / Tunnel / Trackwork Contract

1. Summary - VTA intends to award a Progressive Design-Build (PDB) contract for the design and construction of all tunnel and trackwork required for this Project. VTA’s intended PDB ... More Information

VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project: Contractor Engagement Begins

The stretch of BART Silicon Valley into Downtown San Jose and Santa Clara is entering the procurement stage of the project.  The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is reaching ... More Information

Register today for VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Industry Forum

Register today for VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Industry Forum

Join VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Industry Forum to learn about opportunities to participate in building this mega-transit project. This informational forum, to be held on February ... More Information

Federal Funding Allocation for BART Silicon Valley Phase II project

Federal Funding Allocation for BART Silicon Valley Phase II project

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) allocated EUR113.15 million (USD125 million) to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for the Bay ... More Information

Remembering Dick Robbins 1933-2019

Remembering Dick Robbins 1933-2019

It is with deep sadness that The Robbins Company announces the passing of Richard James Robbins, President and CEO from 1958 to 1993. Dick passed away surrounded by family on Thursday May 30, 2019 ... More Information

BART is planning for a second Transbay Tube

BART is planning for a second Transbay Tube

BART is taking early steps to build a second Transbay rail crossing, perhaps a second Transbay Tube. Despite BART’s plan to increase capacity through the existing San Francisco’s ... More Information

Palermo railway link tunnel complete

Palermo railway link tunnel  complete

RFI and the Italian-Spanish consortium SIS celebrated the breakthrough of the Notarbartolo-Belgio tunnel for the Palermo railway. The Marisol TBM (diameter 9,40 m) completed the tunnel excavation ... More Information

BART to San Jose General Engineering Consultant Information Forum

BART to San Jose General Engineering Consultant Information Forum

BART to San Jose General Engineering Consultant Information Forum Date: Tuesday, May 15 Location: San Jose Convention Center 408 Almaden Blvd. San Jose, California The Santa ... More Information

Transbay Program Phase 2 Downtown Rail Extension (DTX)

Transbay Program Phase 2 Downtown Rail Extension (DTX)

The approximately $6 billion Transbay Transit Center/Caltrain Downtown Extension (TTC/DTX) project in San Francisco consists of following three interconnected elements. A replacement of the the ... More Information

TERRATEC MTBM systems excel in Bangkok

TERRATEC MTBM systems excel in Bangkok

TERRATEC Microtunnelling Systems and speciality Field Services aid swift progress on major utility tunnel projects in Bangkok, Thailand. In February 2017, TERRATEC Micro Tunnel Boring Machines ... More Information

Palermo railway ring

Palermo railway ring

On 23.07.2014 Tecnis SpA (Catania) began work on Lot 1 of the railway ring in Palermo. Value of the project is EUR152 million, with EUR28 million coming from EU funds. The Giachery-Politeama section ... More Information

Bypass for Palermo railway

Bypass for Palermo railway

On 02.12.2013 details were released about the 5 km-long bypass Section B for the railway network in Palermo. More Information

Terratec sponsors tunnelbuilder.com

Terratec sponsors tunnelbuilder.comTerratec, our old friends from Tasmania, are starting 2010 with a bang, sponsors of tunnelbuilder.com! For 20 years Terratec has been manufacturing Total ... More Information

Twenty years of Terratec

Twenty years of TerratecIn 1990, Tony Peach and Al Jones, after long experience working on projects around the world with The Robbins Company and its affiliates, decided to move to Australia. ... More Information

Italian tunnel upgrades announced

Italian tunnel upgrades announced Autostrade per l'Italia Spa has announced the awards of contracts to upgrade installations in 50 tunnels on the A1 and A7 motorways out of Milano. Medi Impianti ... More Information

North American update

North American updateThe proposed replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct in downtown Seattle with a 3.2 km-long bored double-deck road tunnel is symptomatic of the current trend in North America to ... More Information

Page:

Tunnelling News

The Boring Company Launches Free Tunnel Contest: AI Applications for Smart Infrastructure

According to Sawyer Merritt on Twitter, The Boring Company has announced a contest to build a one-mile tunnel for free, inviting proposals for ... More Information

Out of sight: spectacular HS2 tunnels offer glimmer of hope for stalling project

Despite much soul-searching over UK’s inability to build infrastructure, two sections of HS2 under Chilterns are being hailed for their engineering... More Information

HS2 January 2026 update

We’re making progress building the main infrastructure for the new line. We’ve completed 80% of tunnelling and are working on major bridges, viaducts and embankments, and HS2’s new ... More Information

Implenia Secures EUR 350 Mln Projects For Bridges, Tunnel Works In Germany

Tunnel to join motorway sections and connecting roads. The Swiss construction and real estate company said the Peene Bridge project in Wolgast, ... More Information

Incredible new $7.9bn mega rail and road tunnel to be the world's longest

The safety of our workers is of utmost importance during the construction of the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel. We will await the findings of the ... More Information

TBM launch from Rukanpura soon as metro work gains pace

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the underground network is likely to be launched from Rukanpura on Bailey Road, which falls under Corridor I ... More Information

World's largest-diameter boring machine used for Yangtze River railway tunnel

China's domestically developed, world's largest-diameter vertical shaft boring machine 'Qiming' was officially put into operation in Taicang City ... More Information

HCMC approves sea-crossing route with undersea tunnel between Can Gio and Vung Tau

Ho Chi Minh City has approved a strategic proposal by Vingroup to construct a direct sea-crossing road connecting the Can Gio coastal urban area with Vung Tau beach town, cutting travel ... More Information

Changi Airport’s new underground link to take passengers from future T5 to T2 in 4 minutes

SINGAPORE – Passengers at the future Changi Airport Terminal 5 can expect to reach Terminal 2 in four minutes via the airport’s new underground link... More Information

SRL inspires TBM Captains - Victoria's Big Build

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Captains. When SRL East opens in 2035 ... Construction of SRL East is powering ahead, with more than 3000 people ... More Information

Beneath winter's fjords: 17 miles of rock, 1300 ft deep

Rogfast tunnel construction beneath Norway's winter fjords, 17 miles long and 1,300 feet deep,. Credits: Ground Engineering. For years, the E39 ... More Information

Massive Sinkhole Opens Near $26 Billion Tunnel Project in Melbourne

A massive sinkhole has suddenly opened up in Melbourne near a major highway tunnel construction site, sparking safety fears and halting ... More Information

The world's longest expressway tunnel: China's Tianshan Shengli Tunnel

At the same time, the project also implemented China's first 'three-tunnel parallel construction' plan, which increased the number of workfaces. At ... More Information

'Not really where you want to be': Ground preparation for Lower Thames Crossing tunnelling

The Lower Thames Crossing is a major new road and tunnel project in the UK, intended to alleviate congestion at the Dartford Crossing and enhance. More Information

Funding problems affect metro line extensions

In the Athens metropolitan area, construction of Line 4 is continuing, with the Avax-Ghella-Alstom consortium saying the two tunnel-boring machines ... More Information

Transport Minister inspects progress on Cairo Metro Line 4 phase one

Four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are in operation—two in each direction. According to the project timeline, the first TBM has reached the Grand ... More Information

Here's what happened with Toronto's Scarborough Subway Extension in 2025

SSE tunnelling, which began in January 2023, is being carried out with the largest tunnel boring machine (TBM) ever used on a Canadian transit project ... More Information

NHAI connects Tunnel No. 4 on Shimla bypass

NHAI PIU Shimla Project Director Anand Kumar, Bharat Construction ... The tunnel was constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) ... More Information

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Update: Palghar Tunnel Breakthrough Achieved

NHSRCL Bullet Train Project | India First Bullet Train Update: Last year, the Ministry of Railways achieved a breakthrough in the construction of ... More Information

Main tunnel works connecting future Changi Airport T5 to existing T2 completed

Main tunnel works connecting the future Terminal 5 to the existing Terminal 2 are completed, as the Changi East development gathers pace... More Information

Testing completed on Hudson River Tunnel boring machines

The project calls for construction of 9 miles of passenger-rail track between New York ... More Information

World's longest motorway tunnel finally opens in £3BILLION project

The Tianshan Shengli (Victory) Tunnel, located in the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang, China, measures some 22 kilometres – roughly 13.75 miles – and ... More Information

Cross-river tunnel of Nanjing Metro Line 4 Phase II completes tunneling

This photo taken on Dec. 27, 2025 shows the rear of the "Xinzhengcheng" tunnel boring machine at the construction site of Nanjing Metro Line 4 ... More Information

Tunnels Design and Construction Market is Going to Boom

HTF Market Intelligence projects that the global Tunnels Design and Construction market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.80% from 2025 to 2032, from 72 Billion in ... More Information

Longest tunnel in the world costing £7billion will connect 3 European cities

The Brenner Base Tunnel is currently under construction and will connect the countries of Austria and Italy. The impressive tunnel, which is set ... More Information

Georgian Officials Mark Completion of Railway Modernization, Hoping to Boost Transit

The works also included the construction of the 8,300-meter dual-tube tunnel near Kvishkheti, 10 bridges, six tunnels, and around 100 engineering ... More Information

Israeli municipality approves budget for new tunnel project south of Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Governorate said that the project aims to connect the Har Homa settlement, built on Jabal Abu Ghneim land, to the Begin bypass road near ... More Information

Megaprojects Under Construction Around World In 2026

Described as the largest road tunnel in the U.K., the Lower Thames Crossing will link Tilbury in Essex via a tunnel underneath the Thames with ... More Information

Delhi Metro expansion: Cabinet approved Rs 12,015 crore project

The project, planned over a construction timeline of three years, will be executed largely underground using tunnel boring machines to minimise ... More Information

World's Longest Expressway Tunnel to Open, Linking North and South Xinjiang

Engineers used innovative methods and specially designed machines called tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to dig through hard rock faster and safer than ... More Information

The huge £21bn mega-tunnel that goes right through the middle of a mountain

Huge boring machines will create a 57.5km (35.7mile) tunnel through the Alps to connect French and Italian high-speed rail networks and link Lyon ... More Information

Rome digs deep for railway that burrows beneath the Colosseum

Tunnellers used lasers to check whether ancient columns at the nearby Forum were not wobbling as their 300ft long tunnel boring machine churned ... More Information

World’s largest-diameter high-speed railway shield tunneling machine reaches milestone

The world's largest-diameter high-speed railway shield tunneling machine independently developed by China, “Linghang,” for the Chongming-Taizhou ... More Information

Third circuit on £1bn London Power Tunnels 2 project energised

Electricity has begun flowing through a new section of National Grid's London Power Tunnels 2 (LPT2) project after the energisation of a ... More Information

Westmead metro station cavern formwork the biggest in the southern hemisphere

Crews are now retrieving the 1,200-tonne Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) that arrived beneath Westmead in September and October, lifting each machine ... More Information

Webuild: excavation begins on three tunnels for Salerno-Reggio Calabria HS/HC Railway

All four TBMs planned for Lot 1A Battipaglia–Romagnano section are operational with launch of latest three Joining TBM Partenope, already active, are Leucosia and Ligea, whose names were ... More Information

SELI Overseas: 75 Years of Tunneling with TBMs

From Channel Tunnel to the Brenner Tunnel: When Tunneling Is Synonymous with Innovation ... SELI TBM at work on the construction site... More Information

Road realignment is major step for HS2, says firm

HS2 Ltd A view of the realigned B4525 on an overcast day. · HS2 Ltd An aerial view of the construction of Greatworth tunnel showing major earthworks ... More Information

Amtrak has made real progress in East River Tunnel rehabilitation

The tunnel has been stripped down to the concrete liner. Westbrook was told the project isn't just about modernizing and replacing what was, but also ... More Information