15 km-long, 3.5 m-diameter Saavedra-Moron tunnel reaching completion by Wayss & Freytag/Sollazo Hnos for Aguas Argentinas using Herrenknecht EPB. Safege Montgomery Watson are client's engineer. Tunnelling conditions post-evaluation study carried out by team chaired by Mike Kobler of Underground Construction Managers and including Alastair Biggart of Hatch Mott MacDonald and Gary Brierley of Brierley Associates. Visit www.brierleyassociates.com January 2000.   Completion of $65 million Saavedra-Moron reported. The tunnel comprises four drives of 3.56 km, 4.2 km, 3.7 km, and 3.8 km at depth 35 m from five shafts. Ground conditions were variable, ranging from quicksands under 2.5 bar pressure, through green sandy clays to hard consolidated silts with calcareous nodules. Soil conditioning using bentonite or foam, or both. The two Herrenknecht 4.3 m-diameter EPBs averaged 20 x 1.2 m-wide gasketed rings/day with a best performance of 35 rings. Visit www.herrenknecht.com March 2000.

Three pre-qualified bidding teams have been selected to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) stage for the contract to build the EUR1.93 bn (CAD2.83 bn) Broadway subway extension project in Vancouver.

The Acciona-Ghella JV, composed of Acciona Infrastructure Canada, Ghella Canada, IBI Professional Services (Canada), DIALOG BC Architecture Engineering Interior Design Planning, Mott MacDonald Canada Ltd, Ingenieria Especializada de Obra Civil e Industrial SA, Parsons and Corporacion Acciona Infraestructuras); the Broadway Connect JV, composed of Dragados Canada, Aecon Infrastructure Management, ACS Infrastructure Canada, Aecon Concessions, a division of Aecon Construction Group, Dragados SA, Aecon Group, Hatch Ltd, WSP Canada, Dr. G. Sauer & Partners, VIA Architecture, Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, a Division of Wood Canada Ltd and Sener; the West 9th Partners, composed of SNC-Lavalin Capital, SNC-Lavalin Constructors Pacific, SNC-Lavalin, SNC-Lavalin Grou will have until next year to submit their bids for the design, build and finance project.  Contact Broadway Subway Project, Vancouver, email BSPContact@gov.bc.ca. For more information click here. 31/19.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) awarded the EUR20.9 million (CAD30 million)   contract FE85-2 for Tunnel Design Services for the Scarborough Subway Extension (SSE) to Hatch Mott MacDonald Limited. Duration contrat five years from the

Notification of Award. The 7.5km three-stop subway was approved by the city council in October 2013. It will extend the existing Bloor-Danforth subway line to Scarborough Town Centre, replacing the aging Scarborough Rapid Transit line, which went into service in 1985. Click here and visit www.hatchmott.com. 05/15.

The following 3 teams have been shortlisted to submit their proposals for the Stations, Rail and Systems (SRS) designing and building package for the 7.8km Scarborough Subway Extension project connecting to the Line 2 subway.   

• Dragados - Applicant lead: Dragados Canada Inc; Design prime team member: AECOM Canada, Ltd.Construction prime team member: Dragados Canada Inc.  

• KSX Integrated Design-Builders- Applicant leads: Peter Kiewit Sons ULC, SNC-Lavalin Constructors (Pacific) Inc; Design prime team members: Peter Kiewit Sons ULC, SNC-Lavalin Constructors (Pacific) Inc; Construction prime team members: Peter Kiewit Sons ULC, SNC-Lavalin Constructors (Pacific) Inc.  

• Scarborough Transit Connect - Applicant leads: Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., FCC Construccion SA; Design prime team member: Mott MacDonald Canada Ltd; Construction prime team members: Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc, FCC Construccion SA,  

These groups will have until the summer to submit their plans to Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario for evaluation.   

Contact Infrastructure Ontario, attn Rebecca Zebeljan, email Rebecca.Zebeljan@infrastructureontario.ca. Visit Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx. Ref.n. 0000208606. 06/22.  

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario (IO) have selected Scarborough Transit Connect as the development partner ((known as the “Dev Co”) to enter the development phase of the Stations, Rail and Systems (SRS) contract for the Scarborough Subway Extension project. The SRS package for the Scarborough Subway Extension is being delivered using a Progressive Design-Build (PDB) model.  

Scarborough Transit Connect is comprised of leading companies with the expertise to deliver a subway project:  

• Applicant Leads: Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., FCC Canada Ltd. 
• Design Prime Team Member: Mott MacDonald Canada Limited 
• Construction Prime Team Members: Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., FCC Canada Ltd.  

The scope of work includes:  

• Design and construction of three new underground stations and bus terminals at each station. 
• Design and construction of emergency exit buildings and service buildings, and traction power substations. 
• Installation, testing and commissioning of all systems equipment and interconnection with existing TTC systems. 
• Design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of all rail and track components and a pocket track east of Kennedy Station. 
• Coordination with the Advance Tunnel contractor on remaining work.  

The Progressive Design-Build model incorporates a multi-stage design process called a development phase. This phase allows for a collaborative approach between the project owner, the contracting partner and other stakeholders who work closely together to finalize the scope, risk allocation and pricing of various elements of the project. Currently, the development phase for SRS is anticipated to be completed in approximately 18 to 24 months. Once the development phase has concluded, Metrolinx and the Scarborough Transit Connect team will then have the option to sign a final agreement to proceed to the construction phase, which would include agreements on detailed designs and a negotiated price.  

For more visit https://infrastructureontario.ca and http://www.metrolinx.com/. 48/22. 

Spadina Link Project Managers, a joint venture of Hatch Mott MacDonald, Delcan Corporation and MMM Group, has been awarded a CAD100 million project management services contract for the Spadina subway extension by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) for a period of seven years. With an estimated final cost of CAD2.63 billion, the Spadina subway extension is the largest transit expansion project to be undertaken by the TTC in 40 years. The project is unique in that the TTC subway network will go beyond the city of Toronto limits for the first time and link neighbouring communities in York Region. The 8.6 km extension to the existing Spadina subway line will be underground, running from the existing Downsview station to Vaughan Corporate Centre, and will add six more stations including a new station at York University. The project is expected to commence in April 2008 with an anticipated completion in 2015. Read E-News Weekly 15/2006. Visit www.toronto.ca/ttc/spadina_extension/index.htm, www.hatchmott.com and www.delcan.com 15/08.

Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM) has been selected to design twin tunnels for the Evergreen LRT line in Vancouver. The two 1.9 km-long tunnels will have a diameter of approximately 5.7 metres, will be constructed by pressurized face tunnel boring machines, and will be lined with precast concrete segments. Key elements of the project include the configuration of the portals within the urban environment and dealing with spatial constraints for construction. HMM is responsible for management of the geotechnical investigation, design, and preparation of procurement documents for construction, which is expected to proceed in 2007. Read E-News Weekly 51/2004. Visit www.hatchmott.com 30/06.

A JV between Mott MacDonald and Sudop Praha A.S. has been appointed by SZDC (Sprava Zeleznicni Dopravni Cesty) to carry out two studies for a new cross-border railway line that will connect Dresden in Germany with Ústi nad Labem and Litomerice in the Czech Republic. The new railway will be a part of the Trans European Transport Network’s Orient/East Med core corridor and the first section of the Czech Republic’s future high speed rail network, with a 20 km-long base tunnel crossing the Erzgebirge Mountains, a maximum speed of 200 km/h, and mixed traffic. The JV will carry out geotechnical investigations and perform environmental impact assessments for the route selection options. Preparatory works for design phases concerning technical investigation for major bridges and long tunnels will also be undertaken. A preliminary economic evaluation, an implementation plan and project publicity services are being provided, along with a comparison between Czech, German and European legal procedures. Visit www.szdc.cz, www.mottmac.com and www.sudop.cz. 17/15.

Femern A/S has prequalified five entities to participate in the bidding for a consultancy contract on E&M systems in the Fehmarnbelt tunnel. The prequalified entities are as follows: JV í…F Hansen & Henneberg/Poyry Infra GmbH; Mott MacDonald Ltd; JV Ramboll/Arup/TEC; COWI A/S in collaboration with HBI Haerter AG, M&E Engineering, GBI Gackstatter Beratende Ingenieure GmbH, Barbara Consult and HOJ Consulting GmbH; JV Grontmij A/S/Capita Symonds Ltd. Closing date for delivering bids to Femern A/S is 28.11.2011. Click here. Visit www.femern.com. 44/11.

Femern A/S has prequalified the following companies to submit tenders for two framework agreements on client consulting services and technical in-house consulting services, respectively.

Companies prequalified for client consulting services are:

• CH2M HILL United Kingdom (UK), with NIRAS A/S (Denmark),Dr. tech. Olav Olsen AS (Norway) and Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbh (Germany) as Sub-consultants;
• Rambøll-Arup-TEC Joint Venture (Denmark, UK, Netherlands) with WTM Engineers GmbH (Germany) and Schønherr A/S (Denmark) as Sub-consultants;
• Sweco Danmark A/S (Denmark) with Sweco Nederland B.V. (Netherlands) and Mott MacDonald Ltd. (UK) as Sub-consultants; 
• ÅF Infrastructure AB (Sweden).

Companies prequalified for technical in-house consulting services:

• CH2M HILL United Kingdom (UK), with NIRAS A/S (Denmark),Dr. tech. Olav Olsen AS (Norway) and Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbh (Germany) as Sub-consultants;
• EKJ-ILF-GEO (Denmark, Austria);
• Rambøll-Arup-TEC Joint Venture (Denmark, UK, Netherlands) with WTM Engineers GmbH (Germany) as Sub-consultants;
• Sweco Danmark A/S (Denmark);
• ÅF – Hansen & Henneberg A/S (Denmark) with ÅF Infrastructure AB (Sweden) as Sub-consultants.

Click dk/14 for tunnelbuilder archive. Contact Femern A/S, attn Jens Villemoes, Press Manager, tel +45 33 41 44 27, e-mail jvi@femern.dk. Visit http://femern.com/en/News-and-press/2016/October/Femern-AS-prakvalificerer-til-bygherreraadgivning. 44/16

  Feasibility study for 7.3 km metro from SW Budapest to main railway station on Pest side of river by Symonds Travers Morgan and Systra. Completion envisaged for 2003. Earlier contract for twin-tube 5.4 km section with 7 stations was bid in March, 1993. August 1997. Design by Hungarian consultants with Mott MacDonald assistance prepared railway authorisation design documentation for 7.4 km shield-driven system from Kelenfoldi to Keleti with eight intermediate stations in boxes at depths of 15 - 32 m with exception of Kelenfoldi which is beneath mainline tracks in a built-up area close to the Danube and will have to be tunnelled. Nov 1998.   Possible further extensions to the west from Kelenfoldi to Budaorsi and to the east from Keleti to Ujpalota. Also South Buda branch line is a possibility from Bocskai to Budafok Varoshaz. Sept 1999. www.metro4.hu   Now known as line 4 and will have 10 stations between Kelenfold and Keleti railway stations with possible extensions to Budaorsi to the west and Ujpalota to the east. There is also a possibility of a South Buda branch line from Bocskai ut to Budafok Varoshaz ter. New line 4 connection across Danube will relieve congestion taking 421,000 passengers/day by proposed opening in 2003. Tram service that currently overloads Szabadsag bridge can be discontinued and 11 bus routes altered to connect with new metro stations. Tunnels to be shield driven and stations will be in boxes apart from Kelenfoldi pu and the stations each side of the river. Visit www.metro4.hu/bejelent.en2.html for an English language description. Also www.mottmac.com/markets/transport/tunnels will give some background information. Sept 1999.  Tenders in preparation by DBR for 7.5 km-long line 4 with 10 stations, some up to 32 m-deep. EPB required on Pest side of river and slurry shield on Buda side. Construction period 2002-2007. Visit www.metro4.hu 35/01.  Budapest City Council and the central government reached an agreement on financing the €802 million construction of the first phase of the fourth metro line. The government will finance 70% and the city 30%. The 7.3 km first phase will also include the construction of 10 stops. Work will begin in the second half of 2004. It will be open to traffic in 2007-2008. The government will decide about building the second phase, 3.1 km in length with four stops, in September 2004 or by June 2005 at the latest. The full project will create a 10.4 km metro track, running from Kelenföldi in District 11 to Keleti in District 7. The first of 29 calls for tenders will be published this fall. The European Investment Bank (EIB) agreed in December 2002 to provide an €875 million 25-year loan to finance 75% of the whole 10.4 km project which is estimated to cost €1.16 billion. Visit www.metro4.hu 23/03.Periodic information notice for design and construction of running tunnels and associated structures as part of stage 1, contract 02 of Line 4. The assigment includes preliminary utility relocation; the start shaft; the reception box; a 30 m-deep station box structure and three adjacent 45 m-long 65 sq m cross section tunnels, to be built using the shotcrete lining method, required for access to construct a cross-over to allow for side reverse of trains; a 2 x 120 m-long tunnel cross-over for this reverse; a 7.8 m-inner diameter ventilation shaft; thirteen 5.2 m-diameter connecting tunnels, 15 m long each; a 42 m-deep 130 sq m ventilation shaft; 2 x 3,160 m of 5.2 m-inner diameter running tunnels on the Buda side to be constructed in hard, water-resistant clay and clayey marls; 2 x 2,530 m of 5.2 m-diameter running tunnels on the Pest side and under the Danube to be constructed in inhomogeneous clay, silt and sand gravel. Work to start in October 2005 for completion in December 2008. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=195149-2004, OJ S 226, or contact BKV, Budapest, fax +36 13221440 or 12676217. E-mail info@metro4.hu 49/04.Negotiated procedure, deadline 1st March, 2005 for design and construction of running tunnels and associated structures, as part of Stage I Contract 02 of Line 4 in Budapest. This contract includes public utility relocation works; the shield start shaft; the shield reception box; a 30 m-deep station box structure and three adjacent 45 m-long 65 sq m cross section tunnels and two rows of columns, with shotcrete lining required for access to construct a cross-over for a lateral reversing structure; a 2 x 120 m-long tunnel cross-over (for the reversing structure); a 7.8 m ID ventilation shaft; thirteen 5.2 m-diameter, 15 m-long connecting tunnels; a 42 m-deep 130 sq m ventilation shaft; 2 x 3,160 m-long 5.2 m ID tunnels on the Buda side to be constructed in hard, water resistant clay; 2 x 2,530 m-long 5.2 m ID tunnels to be constructed in unhomogeneous clay, silt and sand gravel on the Pest side and under the Danube and other minor works. The works will take place between Kelenfold main line station in south west Buda and Keleti main line station in the north east of Pest, crossing the Danube between St. Gellert ter and Fovam ter immediately south of Szabadsag bridge. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=215033-2004, OJ S 249, or contact BKV, Budapest, fax +36 13221440 or 12676217. E-mail info@metro4.hu. To view the tender in English, visit www.metro4.hu/content.php?tmp=tend&tid=16 02/05.Deadline extension to 22nd March, 2005 for design and construction of running tunnels and associated structures, as part of Stage I Contract 02 of Line 4 in Budapest. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=040812-2005, OJ S 42, or contact BKV, Budapest, fax +36 13221440 or 12676217. E-mail info@metro4.hu. Click hu/11 for details. 10/05.Restricted call for bids, deadline 4th July, 2005 for construction of three stations, as part of metro line 4 in Budapest. These stations are Tetenyi ut, Bocskai ut and Moricz Zsigmund korter. All are in Buda. Tetenyi ut station box is approximately 85 m long, 26 m wide and 22 m deep. Bocskai ut station box is approx. 130 m long, 24 m wide and 22 m deep. Moricz Zsigmund korter station box is approx. 105 m long, 26 m wide and 30 m deep. Tetenyi ut station box is to be constructed in a open area while the other two boxes are to be constructed in busy main roads along which tram and buses travel. Construction of the stations will be using diaphragm wall techniques (steel sheet piling not allowed). Contract award is anticipated in the first quarter of 2006, with construction start anticipated shortly after and end of construction in the second quarter of 2008. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=105686-2005, OJ S 106, or contact BKV, Budapest, fax +36 13221440 or 12676217. E-mail info@metro4.hu 24/05.The five bidders for contract 02 of line 4 of the Budapest metro are Bamco consortium led by Vinci and including Strabag and Hí­dépí­to Rt.; BPV-Metro 4 consortium headed by Bilfinger Berger, including Porr and Vegyépszer Rt.; Metro 4 consortium led by Hochtief with Bouygues as partner; Taisei; and ZOSw Metro-4 consortium headed by Ed. Züblin, with Obayashi and Swietelsky. It is expected that the award announcement for contract 02 will be made in January 2006. Click hu/11 for details of contract 02. Visit www.metro4.hu 27/05.Negotiated procedure, deadline 20th September, 2005 for construction of Fovam ter and Kalvin ter station structures, as part of Line 4. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=146036-2005, OJ S 146, or contact BKV, Budapest, fax +36 13221440 or 14113051. E-mail info@metro4.hu. 33-34/05.A consortium including Mott MacDonald working with local consultants Fomterv and Uvaterv has secured a contract to prepare tender documentation for ten major packages related to the development of the new line 4. Mott MacDonald's role involves preparing tender documents for the proposed design and build contracts as well as updating of the 1998 design to include alignment improvements and further architectural development. In addition, Mott MacDonald is providing specialist input on tunnelling methods and will carry out an analysis of the ventilation system design including modelling using its own in-house programmes and proprietary computational fluid dynamics software. Mott MacDonald initially worked with Fomterv and Uvaterv in 1998 on the preliminary design for line 4 and helped achieve approval for the metro from the Hungarian Railway Authority.The 7.3 km first phase of the underground system will include ten stations and connect with the existing metro lines 2 and 3 and with the main line railway network at Kelenfold and Keleti. The tunnels are likely to be constructed using state-of-the-art boring machines together with the latest techniques in sprayed concrete technology. One of the key challenges will entail steering the line around the historic thermal waters located below and adjacent to the Danube. Opening of the new line is scheduled for 2010 and it is anticipated that the system will be extended at a later stage. Visit www.metro4.hu, www.mottmac.com, www.fomterv.hu and www.uvaterv.hu 46/05.The Bamco consortium led by Vinci Construction Grand Projets and including Strabag, Strabag International, Strabag Rt. and local firm Hí­dépí­to Rt. has won the tender to build a 2 x 7.3 km tunnel (contract 02), as part of Line 4 of the Budapest metro. The contract is worth EUR207,415,841. Visit www.metro4.hu and www.vinci-construction.com 03/06.

Replacement for the abandoned Fljotsdalur project will utilise three dams with capacity of 8.5 million cu m of water which will feed underground powerhouse with maximum dimensions 90 m-long x 18 m-wide x 40 m-high through a 40 km-long x 7.5 m-diameter TBM-driven headrace tunnel and 500 m-high x 6 m-diameter penstock shaft. A 650 m-long access adit will be required for the powerhouse together with a 1.6 km-long x 8 m-wide tailrace tunnel. A 400 m-high x 5 m-diameter surge shaft, a 11 km-long x 6.5 m-diameter TBM-driven diversion tunnel and 12.7 km of 5 m-high drill/blast horseshoe section tunnels will also be required. Detailed design will take until 2002 with construction commencing 2003 for completion in 2006. Visit www.lv.is for the fuller picture. July 2000. Invitation to prequalify, deadline 2nd October, 2001, for construction of 40 km-long Vatnjokull headrace and associated tunnels. Contact Landsvirkjun, fax +354 5159006. Visit www.lv.is 35/01.   Landsvirkjun, the national power company, has prequalified four candidates for the 39.8 km headrace tunnel that will carry water flow east from the Hí¡lslí³n reservoir, then northeast under Fljí³tsdalsheií°i to an underground power station at the uppermost reaches of Fljí³tsdalur valley. They are Impregilo; Balfour Beatty; a joint venture of NCC, Hochtief and Iceland Prime Contractor (IPC); and a joint venture of Skanska, ístak, E. Pihl & Sí¸n and Vinci.The tunnel will head eastward to a juncture with a diversion tunnel from the Ufsarlí³n reservoir. From there, a single tunnel continues north-east to the Teigsbjarg escarpment. The tunnel between the Hí¡lslí³n reservoir and the Teigsbjarg escarpment is 39.8 km-long, approximately 7 m in diameter and will be drilled using full-face TBMs (23.7 km) and drill/blast (16.1 km). The tunnel from the Ufsarlí³n reservoir totals 13.3 km (phase 2, component 2), is 5.5 m in diameter and will also be TBM-driven and blasted (9.9 km / 3.4 km). Access to the tunnel is via four adits, one at the Hí¡lslí³n reservoir, one in the Glíºmsstadadalur valley (2.8 km), one at river Axarí¡ (2.7 km) and one at the Teigsbjarg escarpment (1.4 km).River Jökulsí¡ í¡ Dal will be diverted past the Kí¡rahnjíºkar dam site, using two underground diversion tunnels. Rivers Kelduí¡, Grjí³tí¡, Innri-Saudí¡, Ytri-Saudí¡, Fellsí¡ and Sultarranaí¡ will be diverted into the Ufsarlí³n reservoir through the Kelduí¡rgöng tunnel (2 km-long, 4.5 m in diameter) and the Grjí³tí¡ tunnel (1,750 m, 5 m in diameter). This is called the Hraun diversion (phase 2, component 4).Also 1.7 km 4.5 m-diameter surge tunnel, to be drilled/blasted.Geology will consist of basaltic formations. The tendering phase for the headrace tunnel will start on 29th November, 2002. Main contracts to be awarded in March 2003 for commissioning in 2007. The lead consultants are the Kí¡rahnjíºkar Engineering JV including VST Consultants, Almenna Consultants, Rafteikning Consultants - all Icelandic - Elektrowatt-Ekono of Switzerland and Montgomery Watson Harza of the US.The powerhouse will be located underground and will be approximately 115 m-long, 14 m-wide and with a maximum height of 34 m. Tranformer room approximately 100 m-long, 13 m-wide and 16 m-high. Access to the powerhouse and to the transformer room will be through a blasted 800 m-long tunnel extending from the Fljí³tsdalur (Nordurdalur) valley. A separate 800 m-long 4 m-diameter cable tunnel will extend from the transformer room to the switchgear house. Drill/blast excavation. From the power station, the water will run via a 1.1 km-long 9 m-diameter tailrace tunnel, to be blasted, that opens into the Fljí³tsdalur valley. Visit www.karahnjukar.is 46/02.   Restricted procedure, deadline 9th December, 2002 for construction supervision of civil works. Lot KAR-66 is for a 54 km headrace tunnel, 5.5 m to 7.6 m in diameter, excavated by TBM and drill/blast. Lot KAR-67 is for two 400 m-long pressure shafts, an underground powerhouse, a 800 m-long access tunnel and a 1,100 m-long tailrace tunnel. Lot KAR-68 is for the Hraunaveita diversion which includes drill/blast tunnels. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=174364-2002, OJ S 219, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjaví­k, fax +354 5159006. 47/02.   State electricity producer Landsvirkjun opened bids for two construction projects, a dam and a headrace tunnel it had estimated to be worth around €590 million. Italian construction group Impregilo has been named lowest bidder. Impregilo offered to build the tunnel for about €285 million, 7% under the tender value. Balfour Beatty, in JV with E. Phil & Sí¸n and ístak, proposed €538 million and Eurohydro JV tendered about €419 million. Skanska, NCC and Vinci withdrew from the race prior to the opening of bids. A final decision on awarding the contracts will be made in January. Icelandic Prime Contractor (IPC) and NCC just started blasting a 700 m access tunnel at Mt. Fremri from the west bank of river Jökulsí¡ í¡ Dal. The 6 m-high x 6 m-wide tunnel was not scheduled to start until 2003 but it has been decided to speed the project up to keep it within schedule. Completion is programmed for April 2003. Visit www.karahnjukar.is 51/02.   Icelandic power producer Landsvirkjun has announced it chose Italian construction group Impregilo to build the dam and tunnels worth ISK47 million for the hydropower plant due to provide energy for a 322,000 tonne aluminium smelter that Alcoa plans to build. Landsvirkjun is expected to sign final deals with both Impregilo and Alcoa regarding the power plant and aluminium smelter in March. Landsvirkjun accepted three tunnel drives instead of two and the construction of a wider tunnel for the Jökla river bypass at the dam site during the construction phase. It has been agreed to widen the headrace tunnel by 0.4 metre to 7.2-7.6 metres. Impregilo will undertake as an additional task the full-face drilling of the section of the diversion tunnel for river Jökulsí¡ í­ Fljí³tsdal to the intake tunnel, involving a total of just under 10 km of the 14 km diversion tunnel. Work to commence in late March or early April. Drilling equipment will be delivered to Iceland end of 2003. Visit www.landsvirkjun.is, www.karahnjukar.is/en and www.impregilo.it 08/03.   Open call for bids, deadline 19th May, 2003 for civil works construction of an underground power station cavern (115 x 14 x 34 m), an access tunnel, pressure shafts, two 3.5 m-diameter 410 m-long pressure tunnels, a transformer chamber (103 x 13.5 x 16 m), a cable tunnel, and a tailrace tunnel. Project completion programmed for 1st November, 2007. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=040120-2003, OJ S 46, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik, fax +354 5159006. E-mail Th. Halldorsson Innkaup@lv.is. 11/03. Open call for bids, deadline 19th May, 2003 for design, furnishing and installation of steel linings, butterfly valves and ultrasonic flow meters for distributors, pressure shafts, valve chambers and connected tunnels. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=040121-2003, OJ S 46, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik, fax +354 5159006. E-mail Th. Halldorsson Innkaup@lv.is. Visit www.landsvirkjun.is and www.karahnjukar.is 11/03.Open call for bids, deadline 15th June, 2003 for construction supervision for the civil works of the underground power station, tunnels, pressure shafts and underground structures. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=076356-2003, OJ S 85, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik, fax +354 5159006. E-mail innkaup@lv.is 19/03.The Kí¡ranjíºkar underground power house (contract KAR-15) will be built by the Fosskraft JV including Hochtief, E. Pihl & Son of Denmark, and Icelandic contractors ístak and Iceland Prime Contractors. The power house calls for the construction of a 7.5 x 7.2 m access tunnel, a 4 x 4 m cable tunnel, a 115 x 14 x 34 m power house cavern, a 103 x 13.5 x 16 m transformer cavern, two penstocks, each 410 m-long and 3.5 m in diameter, and a 9 x 9 m tailrace tunnel. Contract value: €36.7 million. Visit www.hochtief.de, www.pihl-as.dk and www.istak.isA joint venture led by Mott MacDonald and comprising Lí­nuhönnun, Fjarhitun and HNIT from Iceland plus European companies SWECO, Norconsult and Coyne et Bellier has been appointed by national power company Landsvirkjun to oversee construction of the 190 m-high concrete faced rockfill dam and 60 km of tunnels. The dam and tunnels are part of the Kí¡rahnjíºkar power station being built to supply energy to US company Alcoa's new aluminium smelter. As lead consultant, Mott MacDonald will direct the single integrated construction supervision team which will be created and based near the Vatnajökull glacier. Mott MacDonald will project manage all dam construction work and will provide specialist expertise for the 7.2-7.6 m-diameter tunnel, 33 km of which will be created using TBMs and the remaining 27 km using drill/blast techniques. It is anticipated that the dam will be completed in late 2006 and the tunnelling by the middle of 2008. Visit www.mottmac.com, www.coyne-et-bellier.fr, www.sweco.se and www.norconsult.noDevelopment of the Kí¡rahnjíºkar power station entails harnessing the glacial rivers Jökulsí¡ í¡ Dal and Jökulsí¡ í­ Fljí³tsdal and creating the 57 sq km Hí¡lslí³n water storage reservoir and the smaller Ufsarlí³n reservoir. From the Hí¡lslí³n reservoir, water will be conveyed through an underground headrace tunnel eastward joining another tunnel from the Ufsarlí³n reservoir. The water will then be carried in a single tunnel north eastward to the Teigsbjarg escarpment, where it will drop through two steep penstocks to the underground power house. There the water will enter six generating units in the power house and then travel through a tailrace tunnel and canal into the course of the glacial river Jökulsí¡ í­ Fljí³tsdal. The hydro power station will have an installed capacity of 690 MW, and a power generating capacity of 4460 GWh per year. The dam will be constructed in the Jökulsí¡ í¡ Dal river to create the Hí¡lslí³n reservoir. Visit www.karahnjukar.is 39/03.Open call for bids, deadline 4th May, 2004 for contract KAR-21, Ufsarveita Diversion. Excavation of the 3.4 km drill/blast section of the Jökulsí¡ tunnel, 6 m in diameter, and construction of the Ufsarlí³n power intake and the intake canal. Also new road construction works and improvements to existing road. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=018352-2004, OJ S 21, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik, fax +354 5159006. E-mail innkaup@lv.is. Also visit www.landsvirkjun.is and www.karahnjukar.is 07/04.Arnarfell won contract KAR-21 for ISK1.9 billion which includes the construction of the Ufsarveita diversion, consisting of a 3.4 km 6 m-diameter drill/blast section of the Jokulsí¡ tunnel, the Ufsarlí³n power intake and intake canal and 13 km of road works. The largest tunnelling project of its kind ever undertaken solely by an Icelandic contractor, it will involve the movement and clearance of some 100,000 cu m of rock and soil. Visit www.karahnjukar.is and www.arnarfell.is 37/04.Open call for tenders, deadline 24th January, 2006 for contract KAR-24 of the Kí¡rahnjíºkar hydroelectric project. This contract includes the construction of two diversion tunnels, each about 2 km long and 4.5 m wide, together with intake and outlet canals. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=212618-2005, OJ S 215, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik, fax +354 5159006. E-mail innkaup@lv.is. Also visit www.landsvirkjun.is 46/05.Open call for bids, deadline 14th February, 2006 for contract KAR-67, construction supervision of the Ufsarstí­fla dam and the Hraunaveita diversion, including two drill-and-blast tunnels, each 2,000 m long and 4.5 m wide. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=248398-2005, OJ S 251, or contact Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik, fax +354 5159006. E-mail innkaup@lv.is 02/06.

Scheme approved and now under preparation by Delcan and Mott MacDonald with NTA Urban Construction Lines, a government corporation. BOT tenders will be called for US$2bn first phase which includes underground section from Petah-Tikva to Bat-Yam. Six-year construction period. Dec 1998. De Leuw Cather awarded preliminary design contract for the first 18 km of line which will now be built for light rail operation with a view to possible conversion to metro standards in the future. Sept 1999. Approval given for Red Line, partly in tunnel, to run between Peta-Tikva and Bat-Yam. It will be designed with overhead power supply for initial use, but alignment geometry and tunnel diameter will permit easy future conversion to heavy metro. Visit www.mottmac.com Sept 2000.BOT tenders expected end-2000 for 21 km Red line from Peta Tikva to Bat Yam via Jabitinsky Road, Hameslia and Jaffa, with 7 km Peta Tikva to Jaffa in cut-and-cover tunnel. Construction to start within two years for completion by 2008. Promoter NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd for Municipality of Tel Aviv. December 2000. Tender documents in preparation for 22 km Red Line to start construction in 2003 for opening 2008. Now to include 9 km of tunnel bored 40 m below street level. In first stage, 7 km will be driven between Allenby and Ben Gurion, to be followed later by 2 km extension from Ben Gurion to Geha. Project management by Mesillot, a jv of Hatch Mott MacDonald, Delcan, and Amy-Metom. Green Line from Rishon and Holon in the south, via the city centre, to Arlosoroff in design as LRT with interchanges with Red Line at Allenby and Arlosoroff. Visit www.hatchmott.com 03/01. Invitation to tender for BOT construction of 22 km-long red line with 7-9 km of tunnels expected September, 2001. Visit www.hatchmott.com 34/01. Invitation to prequalify, deadline 23rd May, 2002 for the US$1 billion 22 km Red Line under BOT contract. Includes 7.5 km of tunnels in the city centre and elevated sections to Petach Tikva and Bat Yam. Work on first stage to start in 2004 with commissioning expected for 2009. Contact NTA (Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd.), 13 Gush Etzion St, 3rd floor (Shay Sohlberg, Manager of the Economics and Legal Division), Givat Shmuel, 54030, Israel, tel +972-(0)3-5320530, fax +972-(0)3-5480354, PQ_TENDER@nta.co.il. To get the 'Right to Participate and Threshold Requirements' document, e-mail thierry@tunnelbuilder.com. Also under planning are the Green Line from Rishon Lezion via Holon to Tel Aviv where it will cross the Red Line, the Yellow Line from Tel Aviv to Ramat Gan, Ramat Hasharon and Herzliya, and the Purple Line to Kiryat Ono. 51/01. Three international consortia will submit their bids on 31st July for the construction of the Tel Aviv metro. They are: Afriqua Israel, Siemens, Aecon (Canada); Dragados, Israeli construction firm Ashtrom, Alstom, Vivendi Environnement unit Connex; and RATP, Boig (France), Bomvred (Canada). The latter consortium is currently negotiating with two Israeli companies to get them to join the project. The first two consortia are also candidates for the Jerusalem light rail project. Read E-News Weekly # 24. The Tel Aviv metro is a 22 km network, both elevated and below ground, from Petah Tikva, north of Tel Aviv, to Bat Yam in the south. Estimated cost of $1.2 billion. 27/02. Four international consortia have submitted bids in the first tender to build and operate the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Light Railway Red Line. The first consortium comprises Siemens, Aecon Group, HTM (Netherlands), Africa-Israel Investments, and Egged Bus Cooperative. The second consortium comprises Bombardier, Bouygues, Paris metro operator RATP, and Israel's Property & Building and the Dan bus company. The third consortium is headed by Polar Investments, with Ashtrom, Alstom, Connex-CGEA, and Housing & Construction Holding Co. (Shikun u'Binui). The fourth consortium comprises Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), Daewoo International, BVG (Germany), and Israel's Ocif Investments & Development, Shafir Civil & Marine Engineering, Gmul, Granite Hacarmel Investments, and Bateman Engineering.The consortia for the final stage will be chosen by early 2003. The final tender will be published by mid-2003 and construction will begin in early 2005. The first trains are scheduled to operate in 2010. 45/02. The subcommittee for important infrastructure plans approved the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Light Railway Red Line. The line will be completely underground in the 7.5 km from Manshieh, through Ramat Gan, to the border of Bnei Brak. 32 stops are planned, including 11 underground. An award is pending. 12/03.The three shortlisted groups for the first phase of the Tel Aviv light rail are Siemens, Aecon Group, HTM, Africa-Israel Investments, and Egged Bus Cooperative; Bombardier, RATP, Bouygues, Property & Building, and Dan Bus Cooperative; and Alstom, Connex, Ashtrom, Housing & Construction Holding, and Polar Investments.The 22 km first phase includes 7.5 km of tunnels. 30/03.Five companies have joined forces to make up the Metropolitan Transportation Solution (MTS) consortium, which is competing in the Tel Aviv light railway tender. The companies are Africa-Israel Investments, Egged Bus Cooperative, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Portugal's Soares da Costa and Siemens. Each company will have a 20% share in the consortium, which will be led and managed by Africa-Israel. The tender is for the digging and construction of two light rail lines, one from Petah Tikva to Rishon LeZion, and the other from the Glilot junction in north Tel Aviv to western Rishon LeZion, with several branches and sublines. Construction will take an estimated 5-10 years. 27/04.MTS, a consortium which consists of Africa-Israel, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Soares da Costa, the Egged bus cooperative, Siemens, and the leading Dutch transportation company HTM won a BOT contract for the 22 km Red Line. The contract is worth ILS7.1 billion, the biggest private sector contract ever tendered in Israel's history. MTS' bid was just ILS400 million under that of rival Metrorail, who bidded at ILS7.5 billion. The defeated Metrorail consortium is expected to file suit against the award to MTS. Even if MTS finally succeeds, it will have first to finish detailed planning and overcome many other financial and administrative difficulties, including working with the mayors of five different municipalities along the route. Visit www.africa-israel.com, www.ccecc.com.hk and www.soaresdacosta.ptThe line runs from Petah Tikva bus station through Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan through to central Tel Aviv, Jaffa and Bat Yam. About 10 kilometres of the line is to be built underground, with ten underground stops (Allenby, Carlebach, Yehudit, Shaul HaMelech, Arlozorov, Abba Hillel, Bialik, Ben Gurion, Aharonowitz, and Em HaMoshavot), with an average distance of 500 metres between them. Tunnelling is due to begin in late 2008-early 2009. The first phase is expected to be operational in 2013. MTS will operate the line for 22 years. Read E-News Weekly 6/2006, 24/2005, 6/2005 & 47/2004. Click il/13. 03/07.