SELI has won a EUR23.7 million contract to build the Passirio hydroelectric plant in Bolzano province, including a bypass tunnel, a vertical penstock, a subhorizontal penstock, a piezometric pressure shaft, a turbine hall, and access adits. The bypass tunnel is 5,885 m long and the excavated cross section is 10.75 sq m. A TBM will be used. The penstock is approx. 218 m high, its inner diameter is 2.2 m and its outer diameter is 2.7 m. A subhorizontal penstock, to be excavated by traditional methods, is 366 m long, for an inner diameter of 2.2 m. The piezometric pressure shaft is 48 m high, for an outer diameter of 9 m and inner diameter of 8 m. The turbine hall is 11 m long x 8.5 m wide x 7 m high. The access adits for the TBM and the penstock are 51 m and 102 m long respectively. Traditional tunnelling methods will be employed.The geology will consist in majority of metamorphic sedimentary rocks and, to a lesser extent, metamorphic magmatic rock. Geologists expect to excavate in paragneiss and micaschists. Water ingress of 50 litres/sec is expected. Tunnelling of the bypass tunnel will be achieved by means of a Wirth double shield TBM, 3.7 m in diameter, belonging to SELI and previously used for the new Canale Viola scheme. The cutterhead will be equipped with 17" cutters, the maximum cutterhead thrust will be 5.280 kN, with a cutterhead speed of 0-14 rev/min and a cutterhead drive power of 1,120 kW (4 x 480 kW). Click here. Inside, the tunnel will be lined with precast segments produced by SELI. A SELI muck train will take the rock out of the tunnel. The TBM is scheduled to start its work on 9th February, 2007 for completion on 16th January, 2008. Visit www.selitunnel.com and www.wirth-europe.com 44/06.

Accelerated restricted procedure, deadline 2nd May, 2006 for design and construction of the first section of the Valtrompia highway, which will connect highway A4 with the Trompia valley in Brescia province, segment Ospitaletto-Sarezzo, section Concesio-Sarezzo. The contract also includes work management, safety coordination, land acquisition and environmental monitoring.Section Ospitaletto-Concesio includes the Gussago single-tube tunnel (3,219 m). There is no second tube. While the Ospitaletto to Concesio roadway will run through that tunnel, the opposite direction (Concesio-Ospitaletto) will consist in widening the existing provincial road SP 19, which is almost entirely a section running at grade, with the exception of two short tunnels of less than 500 metres (455 m Mirabella tunnel and 415 m Stella tunnel) which will remain as they are, except for the roadbed which will be refurbished. The pedestrian and vehicular cross passages of the future tunnel will be connected to the existing road at grade.Section Concesio-Lumezzane includes the Villa Carcina twin-tube tunnel (3,652 m), the Monte Palosso single-tube tunnel and parallel emergency bore (1,628 m), the Dosso Ghifone single-tube tunnel and parallel emergency bore (1,810 m) and the Lumezzane single-tube tunnel (1,306 m). See tunnel details here. The highway will be operated by Autostrada Brescia-Padova. Read E-News Weekly 9/2003. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=066572-2006, OJ S 64, or contact ANAS, Rome, fax +39 064454956. 17/06.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 8th January, 2008 for construction of the first section of the Valtrompia highway, which will connect highway A4 with the Trompia valley in Brescia province, segment Ospitaletto-Sarezzo, section Concesio-Sarezzo. Click it/117 for details. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=271878-2007, OJ S 223, or contact ANAS, Rome, fax +39 064456224 or 0644462009. E-mail s.pisani@stradeanas.it 49/07.

To complete the Marche-Umbria quadrilateral scheme, missing road links have to be constructed on the SS 76 trunk road linking from east to west Ancona on the Adriatic coast to Perugia in the hinterland, on the SS 77 farther south from Civitanova Marche on the coast to Foligno in the hinterland and on the Fabriano-Camerino north-south foothill link between these two trunk roads. The roads form a quadrilateral, hence the name of the project.Two massive tenders were invited in 2004 to build the missing links. The lowest bidder for the first contract, budgeted at EUR1,174 million, is a consortium between Strabag, CMC and Grandi Lavori Fincosit. The low bid for the second contract, which value is EUR716.8 million, has been submitted by consortium Operae - headed by Baldassini Tognozzi-Pontello and including Guerrino Pivato, Salini-Locatelli and Satrel -, Toto Costruzioni Generali, and consortium Ergon Engineering and Contracting.It is hoped the contract will be signed in March while construction would commence in July 2006 and be completed in 2011. In all, 40 km of tunnel will be built, whereof 15 km by TBM. Visit www.infrastrutturetrasporti.it/sites/quadrilatero_marche_umbria/il%20progetto%20quadrilatero%20no_file/frame.htm 07/06.Lotti & Associati, Ramboll of Denmark and Casinelli Associates secured a EUR941,420 contract for technical, administrative, management and environmental assistance to reinforce the project management of the quadrilateral road scheme. Visit www.quadrilaterospa.it, www.lottiassociati.com, www.ramboll.dk and www.casinelli.net 03/07.The general contractor DIRPA Scarl, consisting of Consorzio Stabile Operae Tecnologie e sistemi integrati di costruzione, Toto SpA and Consorzio Stabile Ergon Engineering e Contracting Scarl, has been awarded two major road building contracts. The EUR135 million contract to construct 8.5 km of the SS 318 from Pianello Valfabbrica includes twin rock tunnels San Gregorio (1,000 m) and Colle Maggio (800 m) and the cut/cover Della Donna (400 m), for completion 2012. The EUR350 million contract to construct 21.5 km of the SS 76 includes 19 tunnels, the longest of which is Golla della Rossa at 3.77 km, for completion 2013. More from tunnelbuilder archive it/116. Visit www.quadrilaterospa.it and www.totospa.it. 09/09.

Italferr awarded two contracts for soil investigation to the maximum depth of 150 metres (continuous drill cores, shafts, etc.) to characterize the ground for the final design of the Fiumefreddo-Giampilieri railway dualling. Geomerid received a EUR385,000 contract for Area 1 (16.2 km) and SO.RI.GE. a EUR571,000 contract for Area 2 (25.5 km). Visit www.geomerid.it and www.sorige.itThe alignment in design is for the dualling of the Fiumefreddo-Giampilieri section (42,395 m) on the Messina-Siracusa line, consisting of a deviation from the existing line that will require 10 new bored tunnels spanning in total 36,086 m (nearly 85% of the section). From Fiumefreddo (in Catania province), the tunnels will be as follows: Calatabiano (5,687.5 m), Taormina (7,980 m), Letojanni (3,898 m), Forza D'Agrí² (2,435 m), Quartarello (2,816 m), Sciglio (5,681 m), Nizza (510 m), Alí¬ (147 m), Quali (4,199 m) and Scaletta (2,733 m).When the tunnel length is more than 2 km, the tunnels will be twin bores with a single track per tube. If less than this length, then the tunnels will be dual-track single tubes. For single-track tunnels, the internal section will be 41.2 sq m if traditional method are used and 53.85 sq m if mechanised tunnelling is employed. Dual-track tunnels will feature a section of about 76.1 sq m. Read a complete file on the project here (in Italian). Visit www.italferr.it 07/06.

  Negotiated procedure, deadline 14th November, 2005 for construction of a 1,200 mm nominal diameter methane gas pipe in Messina province, including in particular a first 3.2 km section comprising of a 1.7 km 4.3 m ID pedestrian tunnel under Monte Cataresi, a second 5 km section comprising of a 1.4 km 4.3 m ID pedestrian tunnel in Poggio Scudeddaro, a 900 m 2.4 m ID microtunnel in Piano di Comi and a 1 km 2.4 m ID microtunnel in Monte Castelluccio. The tunnel will be bored using a TBM and lined with precast concrete segments. The microtunnels will be bored using a full-section double-shield TBM and lined with pipejacked elements. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=205284-2005, OJ S 208, or contact SNAM Rete Gas, San Donato Milanese, fax +39 0252038511. E-mail carlo.gnemmi@snamretegas.it 45/05.

Consortium Uniter, formed by companies from the Catania and Parma provinces (Tecnis, Bosco Aldo, Cogip, Ing. Pavesi, Silmar, Sipa, Sigenco and Foglia), secured a EUR128 million contract to construct the Civitavecchia-Orte-Terni-Rieti expressway, in its section from San Carlo in Terni province to the Lazio region border. This 10.6 km section includes two tunnels in Valnerina (3,505 m) and Tescino (1,576.5 m). Subscribe to E-News 26/2004. Visit www.tecnis.it 13/05.The 10,432 m section of the Civitavecchia-Orte-Terni-Rieti expressway between San Carlo in Terni province and the Lazio region border, awarded to consortium Uniter, includes three single bored tunnels: Tescino (1,546.5 m), Valnerina (3,497.61 m) and on the slip road to Valnerina (348.6 m). Diameters range from 12 to 14 m. The tunnels mainly cross the carnelian formation or the massive limestone formation, both of the Jurassic. The carnelian formation comprises of stratified flint-bearing limestone in 20-40 cm strata consisting of a generally hazel mass, while the massive limestone is thickly and indistinctly bedded (several metres), generally white. Excavation by hydraulic hammer and drill/blast. Support with HEB steel arches and sprayed concrete. The contract is still not signed. Time frame for construction is 850 days. Click it/110 and subscribe to E-News 26/2004. Visit www.tecnis.it 18/05.

  Italferr awarded to SIS, Sintagma and Geodata the tender to build the Palermo-Orleans-Carini railway dualling in Sicily. SIS is a company jointly owned by Sacyr Vallehermoso (60%) and Inc general contractor SpA and Sipal (40%). The contract is worth EUR665 million. The project, known as Passante ferroviario, requires to double the Palermo Centrale-Carini line, improve stations or sink underground several of these (Tommasso Natale, Vespri, Palazzo di Giustizia, Lolli, Notarbartolo). The sections which must be dualled are Palermo Centrale-Bivio Oreto-Orleans-Notarbartolo-Belgio-Cardillo-Isola delle Femmine-Carini, Palermo Centrale-Brancaccio and Brancaccio-Bivio Oreto. On the 19 km line, 8 km will be built underground to cross the city of Palermo. Out of these, 1.22 km will be driven using a 9.3 m-diameter mixshield TBM in sands and calcareous sands. The remaining 6.8 km will be built using the cut-and-cover method. Time frame for construction: five years and two months. Subscribe to 24/2003. Visit www.gruposyv.com 49/04.Systra, Ineco, Lombardi-Reico Ingegneria and Technical secured a EUR6 million contract for the preliminary project, safety recommendations, environmental impact study, geological and geotechnical surveying and testing, as part of the Oreto-Notarbartolo section of the light rail in Palermo. This 7 km section runs fully underground and includes ten stops (Svincolo Oreto, Oreto Sud, Oreto Nord, Piazza Giulio Cesare, Piazza Borsa, Teatro Massimo, Politeama, Via Archimede, Piazza Alberigo Gentili and Stazione Notarbartolo). Click it/109. Visit www.systra.com 28/05.

Accelerated restricted procedure, deadline 29th July, 2004 for final design and environment impact study for the Agrigento-Caltanisseta link on SS 640 in Porto Empedocle, section from km 44 to A19 interchange. Includes two twin-tube tunnels, one bored and the second to be built between diaphragm walls, for a total length of 2 x 2 km. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=105079-2004, OJ S 124, or contact ANAS, Rome, fax +39 064454956. 29/04.The eight bidders for widening to four lanes road SS 640 in Porto Empedocle, a project worth EUR448 million and including a 4 km tunnel, two tunnels comprised between 600 and 700 m, two shorter tunnels and a few cut-and-cover tunnels, are Impregilo; Pizzarotti; Condotte; a joint venture of CMC and CCC; a joint venture of Todini and Maltauro; consortium Operae (Baldassini Tognozzi-Pontello and other Tuscan contractors); consortium SIS (Sacyr, INC and Sipal); and a team of consortium Uniter (formed by contractors based in Catania and Parma provinces: Tecnis, Bosco Aldo, Cogip, Ing. Pavesi, Silmar, Sipa, Sigenco and Foglia) and Ergon Engineering and Contracting (CO.ES.TRA., Inso and the Etruria consortium). The final design and environmental study was commissioned to a JV of Technital, Delta Ingegneria, Infratec, Progin and SIS. Click it/107. Read E-News Weekly 8/2006. Visit www.technital.it, www.deltaingegneria.it, www.infratecsrl.it and www.progin.it 39/07.

Restricted invitation to tender, deadline 08/06/2020, to provide inspection services for the Mont Blanc Tunnel structure. The contract value is EUR3.5 million excluding VAT, and the duration is 36 months. For tender  documents please click here and here please send complete tender to here. Contact Carlo Palombo, GEIE du Tunnel du Mont-Blanc, Chamonix, email C.palombo@tunnelmb.com. Ref.n. rda 5894. 20/20.

  Restricted call for bids, deadline 16th June, 2004 for design and build contract for completion of a railway between Corso Vittorio Emanuelle II and Corso Grosseto, including the crossing of the Dora Riparia river. Cut-and-cover tunnel, 2 km in length, diverting the river with sheet piles. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=077407-2004, OJ S 97, or contact Italferr, Rome, fax +39 0649752445. E-mail a.putaturo@italferr.fr 23/04.A JV led by Astaldi including Vianini Lavori, Impresa Costruzioni Rosso Geom. Francesco & Figli, Di Vincenzo Dino & C. and Turner & Townsend Group won the tender, worth EUR442.2 million, to design and build the railway section Corso Vittorio Emanuele II-Corso Grosseto in Turin. This 12 km section will connect Lingotto and Stura stations and encompasses 7 km of tunnel, including the crossing of the Dora Riparia river. Construction will last six years. Visit www.astaldi.com 26/05.