Preliminary studies by Scetauroute approved by Metro, the Grenoble Metropolitan Area. Three variants are being considered. The first is a 2 m-diameter single tube. The second is a 2.7 m-diameter twin tube. They would both cross ll'íŽle Verte and the Bastille in tunnels. The third is a single bore that would cross the Bastille and Presqu'í®le in tunnels. Metro considers the project cost must be reduced scrapping the twin-tube option and opting for shallower depth under the Isère River and Presqu'í®le. Visit www.smtc-grenoble.org/Rapport 20PDU.pdf 47/01. Open call for bids, deadline 16th September, 2002 for engineering studies for the north ring road in Grenoble including eight alignment alternatives, all including tunnels, either single or twin bores. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=114159-2002, OJ S 144, or contact DDE de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476707784 or +33 476707898. 33/02. Open call for bids, deadline 1st October, 2002 for assistance during the planning and follow-up of the project consisting of a dual two-lane expressway including tunnels. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=130744-2002, OJ S 162, or contact DDE de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476707898. 35/02.Open call for bids, deadline 6th April, 2003 for assistance during the planning and management of the project consisting of a dual two-lane expressway including tunnels. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=030591-2003, OJ S 36, or contact DDE de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476707898. 09/03.Preinformation notice for engineering and technical consultancy services for the draft design, environmental impact study and public hearings for a dual two-lane freeway including tunnels. Tenders to be invited in October 2003. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=137631-2003, OJ S 151, or contact DDE de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476707898. E-mail sgt.dde-isere@equipement.gouv.fr 36/03.Open invitation to tender, deadline 28th November, 2003 for the draft design for a dual two-lane freeway including tunnels. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=191114-2003, OJ S 212, or contact DDE de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476707898. E-mail sgt.dde-isere@equipement.gouv.fr 46/03.Setec, Lavigne and Pade will carry out the conceptual design of a 5 km dual two-lane freeway, including a 2.5 km tunnel under the Bastille. Visit www.setec.fr 41/04.Open call for tenders, deadline 23rd November, 2007 for assistance for the management of Grenoble’s northern ring road. This 6 km dual-carriageway road link will connect two motorways, the A41 Grenoble-Chambéry in the east and the A480 Grenoble-Lyon in the west. Its route runs mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or bored tunnels. To know more, read E-News Weekly 42/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=244299-2007, OJ S 201, or contact Conseil général de l’Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476003919. 43/07.A joint venture including CETu (Centre d'Etudes des Tunnels), CETE (Centre d'Etudes Techniques de l'Equipement), both under the Ministry of ecology, sustainable development and land planning, Bonnard et Gardel and its subsidiary Tonello scooped a EUR3.8 million contract for advise and general technical assistance for the north ring road in Grenoble. Read E-News Weekly 42/2007. Visit www.cetu.equipement.gouv.fr and www.bg-21.com 08/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 29th April, 2008 for general project management for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Read E-News Weekly 42/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=78755-2008, OJ S 58, or contact Conseil général de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476003919. 14/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 13th May, 2008 for geotechnical studies for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=90605-2008, OJ S 67, or contact Conseil général de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476003919. 16/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 13th May, 2008 for hydrogeological study for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=90606-2008, OJ S 67, or contact Conseil général de l'Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476003919. 16/08.Sogreah won the tender for the hydrogeological study for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Visit www.sogreah.fr 32-33/08.A joint venture led by Egis Route, with Ilex, Sogreah and Strates as partners, pocketed a EUR3 million contract for general project management for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Visit www.egis.fr 37/08.The geotechnical studies have been commissioned to Fondasol. Visit www.fondasol.fr 37/08.

Feasibility studies in hand for two-lane dual carriageway along national road RN 75 with four tunnels including 2 x 2.35 km-long Jocou on the Croix-Haute pass, and Rochette (2 x 110 m), Rochasson (2 x 530 m) and Faye (2 x 700 m). Work also commencing on 2 x 1.3 km-long Sinard tunnel towards Coynelle. 43/01. Tenders for construction of the 990 m Sinard tunnel on A51 to be invited in March, 2002. Single bore with parallel service gallery. Tendering for preparatory works expired since 11th December, 2001. Visit www.area.fr 51/01. Preinformation notice for the construction of the Coynelle-Col du Fau section of the A51 highway. Includes the 1 km Sinard tunnel. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/ojs/en/frame.htm, OJ S 11, document 8031-2002. Also visit www.area-autoroutes.fr 04/02. Restricted procedure, deadline 12th April, 2002 for the construction of the 1 km Sinard tunnel. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/ojs/en/frame.htm, OJ S 52, document 40314-2002 or contact AREA, Paris, fax +33 147533820 / +33 1478718886. 12/02.Construction of the 945 m-long dual-lane Sinard tunnel on highway A 51 between Coynelle and the Fau Pass started on 17th November, 2003. The contractors Bec Frères and Carillion BTP are using a three-boom Robofore drill rig to blast the main tunnel in full section (80 sq m) from the south drive. As of 31st March, progress has reached 228 m. Half section excavation (50 sq m) of the parallel safety tunnel with a second three-boom Robofore drill rig. Progress has reached 184 m as of 31st March. A third three-boom Robofore will start at mid-April on the north drive to excavate some 20 m on the main tunnel and 50 m on the safety tunnel to clear space to allow for the construction of a viaduct. This third machine, like one of the other two, is on rental. Three ground profiles are encountered for the main tunnel. Profile 1.2 is good ground requiring 4 cm of fibre-reinforced shotcrete and 3 cm of non-reinforced shotcrete. Six to seven Swellex bolts every two metres vertically and horizontally. Profile 2.2 is ground of lower quality requiring 7 cm of fibre-reinforced shotcrete and 3 cm of non-reinforced shotcrete combined with Swellex bolts every 1.5 m. Profile 5.1 necessitates HEB 180 steel supports every 1 or 1.5 m, sheet plates or shotcrete filling. Drill rigs to be equipped with longer feeds to allow 5 m advances. The safety tunnel is supported with fibre-reinforced and non-reinforced shotcrete. There will be no lining. A Sika-PM500 shotcrete robot is used at the site. First cross passage between both tubes at 150 m and then one every 200 m. Excavation of first cross passage has just started. Visit www.robodrill-sa.com, www.sika-stm.com, www.becfreres.com and www.carillionbtp.fr 15/04.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 11th April, 2005 for firefighting equipment of the Sinard tunnel. This 945 m tunnel is a main tube, for bidirectional traffic, and a parallel safety tunnel, which will become the second tube when traffic increases once the highway is extended farther south. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=047077-2005, OJ S 38, or contact AREA, Bron, fax +33 472353201. E-mail dirc@area-autoroutes.fr 12/05.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 11th April, 2005 for high and low voltage equipment of the 945 m Sinard tunnel (electrical equipment, lighting, centralised management, video monitoring and automatic incident detection, signalling). Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=047075-2005, OJ S 38, or contact AREA, Bron, fax +33 472353201. E-mail dirc@area-autoroutes.fr. Subscribe E-News Weekly 8/2005. 12/05.Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides received a EUR178,000 contract for firefighting equipment in the Sinard tunnel (945 m) on the A 51 highway Grenoble-Sisteron, section Coynelle-Col du Fau. Read E-News Weekly 8/2005. Visit www.yvroud.com 09/06.

Preannouncement of tender to construct 1.6 km-long road with 600 m-long tunnel for DDE du Bas-Rhin, Service des Grands Travaux, fax +33 388 758599. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int December 2000.A JV between Razel and Demathieu & Bard has secured a €12.6 million contract to build a bidirectional single-tube tunnel on a bypass to road RN420 in Alsace. Drill/blast with rock bolts, shotcrete and HEB steel supports. End of excavation in July 2005. Visit www.bas-rhin.equipement.gouv.fr/DDE/tun_schi.htm, www.razel.fr and www.demathieu-bard.fr 38/03.Drill/blast of tunnel on Schirmeck bypass to road RN 420 in Alsace using a Tamrock 316G three-boom jumbo from unique south drive. Support with 20 cm-thick shotcrete with Trefil Arbed fibres and cement grouted rebars. Possibly Super Swellex bolts if needed. Seven blasts per five days (one on Mondays, two on Tuesdays, one on Wednesdays, two on Thursdays and one on Fridays) to comply with safety rules and quietness of the Schirmeck town. No blasting between 22 PM and 6 AM. Canopy of steel pipes on first 20 m with HEB steel arches on first 40 m. To date, progress has reached 90 m. Read E-News Weekly 7/2004 & 3/2002. Visit www.smc.sandvik.com and www.trefilarbed.com 11/04.

Investigation underway by CDG Express for high speed rail link between Gare de l'Est and Roissy-CDG airport which will require a tunnel to connect the east Paris lines to the existing line from Roissy to Marne la Vallee. Partners in CDG Express are Aeroports de Paris, SNCF and RFF. For a useful map of transport links between Paris and its airports visit www.adp.fr and select Roissy. July 2000. Charles-de-Gaulle Express rail link between Gare de l'Est and the Roissy airport will be undergrounded in Mitry-Mory. The line will run on the existing tracks between Paris and Noisy-le-Sec and the remaining 14 km will be built underground up to Tremblay-en-France. Commissioning programmed for 2008. Visit www.cdgexpress.org 46/01.Syndicat des Transports d'Ile-de-France (STIF), the Greater Paris tranport authority, has voted in favour of the CDG Express line, a non-stop rail link from downtown Paris to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport. There will be a 10.5 km tunnel. The project is promoted by a JV formed by SNCF - the French state rail company, Aéroports de Paris (ADP) and Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) - the railway infrastructure operator. Visit www.cdgexpress.org and www.stif-idf.fr 07/03.SNCF Ingénierie has secured a €1.4 million contract for technical design of an express line between Gare de l'Est and Charles de Gaulle airport, including a 10.5 km tunnel between Noisy-le-Sec and Tremblay-en-France. Visit www.sncf.fr 40/03.Notice of concession, deadline 30th October, 2006 for the Charles de Gaulle Express line between central Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy. The project includes an approx. 700 m cut-and-cover tunnel between Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord main stations and a 400 m tunnel under runway number 4 at CDG airport. Also, a 300 m bored tunnel and a 200 m cut-and-cover tunnel will be required before the Gare de l'Est station. Read E-News Weekly 24/2004. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=160688-2006, OJ S 149, or contact Ministry of transport, Paris, fax +33 140811661. E-mail cdg-express.dtfc.dgmt@equipement.gouv.fr. Also visit www.cdgexpress.org 33-34/06.The five candidates for the concession for the Charles de Gaulle Express, between Gare de l'Est station in Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy are: a consortium led by Eiffage, with Macquarie Bank; a consortium led by Bouygues TP, with Seco-Rail, RATP Développement, FIDEPPP and HSBC; a consortium headed by Vinci Concessions, with Vinci, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Axa Infrastructure Investissement and Keolis; and two Spanish contenders: ACS's Iridium Concesiones de Infraestructuras teaming with Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF); and FCC. The five candidates will submit their offer next fall. The contract is scheduled to be awarded in the first semester of 2008. Click fr/30 to learn more. 06/07.The Ministry for environment, energy, sustainable development and land use planning announced that it had selected a preferred bidder to finance, build and manage the Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Express airport rail link. The chosen consortium of VINCI Concessions, VINCI SA, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC), Axa Infrastructure Investissement and Keolis will now negotiate the concession agreement, which is expected to be signed at the beginning of 2009. The planning and enquiry process leading to the award of a declaration of public utility for the project is due to be completed by the end of this year, and the line is scheduled to open in 2013. The 32 km route will start from Paris Est main railway station and run though a new 700 m tunnel, 220 m of which using the cut-and-cover technique, to reach a pair of tracks parallel to Line B of the regional express railway (RER) network. Beyond Aulnay-sous-Bois, the CDG Express link will diverge at Villeparisis on to a 8 km double-track branch paralleling the high speed interconnection to a new terminus at the airport. From there, the existing VAL people mover will provide connections to the various terminals. The line also requires a 300 m bored tunnel and a 200 m cut-and-cover tunnel. Plans call for non-stop trains to run at 15 minutes intervals, taking just 20 minutes. The CDG Express will double rail transport capacity between the Paris city centre and CDG airport in Roissy and is expected to boost the rail share of traffic between Paris and the airport from 22% to 40%. Visit www.vinci-concessions.com, www.vinci.com, www.cdgexpress.fr and www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/DP_CDG_complet_cle519847-2.pdf 31/08.

Syndicat des Transports d'Ile-de-France has voted in favour of a northern extension to Line 12 between Porte de la Chapelle and Mairie d'Aubervilliers. This 3.8 km underground extension will have three stations in Proudhon-Gardinoux, Pont de Stains, and Mairie d'Aubervilliers. The cost to bore the tunnel and the stations is estimated at about €300 million, financed by the French government, the Ile-de-France region, and the Seine Saint-Denis departement. Service to the Proudhon-Gardinoux station is scheduled for 2007. Visit www.stif-idf.fr 08/02.Negotiated procedure, deadline 15th January, 2007 for construction of the extension of Line 12 of the Paris metro from Porte de la Chapelle to Mairie d'Aubervilliers, first phase in Proudhon-Gardinoux. The tender includes two lots. Lot T1 is for the civil works for the approx. 3.6 km tunnel from Porte de la Chapelle to the cul de sac. A 7.8 m-inner diameter TBM will be used. Other underground works will be necessary (ventilation structures, shafts, etc.). Lot S1 is for civil works of Proudhon-Gardinoux station, built with slurry walls. Read E-News Weekly 16/2005. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=233286-2006, OJ S 217, or contact RATP, Fontenay-sous-Bois, fax +33 158771381. E-mail thomas.arrondeau@ratp.fr. Also visit http://extension-reseau.ratp.fr/m12 47/06.A joint venture of VINCI's companies Chantiers Modernes and Campenon Bernard, with also Eiffage TP pocketed a EUR93.1 million contract to build lot T1 of the extension of Line 12 from Porte de la Chapelle to Mairie d'Aubervilliers. This is a 3.6 km tunnel, from Porte de la Chapelle to the cul de sac, to be bored by a 7.8 m-inner diameter TBM. Visit www.chantiers-modernes.fr, www.cbconstruction.fr, www.travauxpublics.eiffage.com and http://extension-reseau.ratp.fr/m12A joint venture of VINCI's companies Chantiers Modernes and Sogea, with also Eiffage TP pocketed a EUR15.5 million contract to build lot S1. This is to build Proudhon-Gardinoux station, using slurry walls. Read E-News Weekly 16/2005. Visit www.vinci-construction.fr and http://extension-reseau.ratp.fr/m12 06/08.

$68 million scheme for two 500 m-deep, 5 m-diameter shafts and 1 km-long, 12 sq m-section tunnel network awarded to jv of Bouyges, Charbonnage de France, Dumez-GTM, and Campenon Bernard. Financed by users EDF, CEA and Cogema and owned by Andra, the national management agency for nuclear waste. December 1999.   Restricted tender, deadline 7th December, 2001, for the draft design comprising five lots: civil and mining engineering; nuclear engineering; mining mechanics; modelling and calculation, and computer graphics. Visit http://ted.eur-op.int, document S 213-146273 or contact Andra, Châtenay-Malabry, fax +33 1 46118258. This lab includes two 500 m-deep shafts connected to a network of 4 m-high tunnels. Geology consists of marls, limestone and very hard clay. Also visit www.andra.fr/en/labo/Bure-0001.htm 46/01.   Resumption of construction on the access shafts authorised by a Bar-le-Duc Court after work suspension further to a fatality which killed one worker in May. Andra, the national authority for the management of nuclear waste, and the construction consortium will set up a new quality insurance plan. Work to restart in February 2003. Visit www.andra.fr. Read E-News Weekly # 17 & 27. 48/02.   Award to the Belgatom / Coyne et Bellier / Deilmann Haniel JV of a €1.3 million contract for mining mechanics as part of the draft design for a deep storage for long-life nuclear waste. Visit www.andra.fr. Read E-News Weekly # 17 & 27. 04/03.  ATR Ingénierie has been awarded a €749,000 contract for lot 4B for modelling and calculation and Scetauroute a €1.6 million contract for lot 5 for data logging as part of the deep long-life nuclear waste disposal. Visit www.andra.fr. Read E-News Weekly # 17/2002 & 27/2002. 15/03.Open call for tenders, deadline 29th October, 2007 for studies for the underground architecture of the long-life nuclear waste repository. Read E-News Weekly 6/2006, 24/2004, 27/2002 & 17/2002. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=214958-2007, OJ S 175, or contact Andra, Chatenay-Malabry, fax +33 146118258. E-mail valerie.barrey@andra.fr. Also visit www.andra.fr/interne.php3?id_rubrique=70 39/07.Open call for tenders, deadline 19th November, 2007 for project management related to the digging of 800 metres of tunnel at -490 metres, as part of the deep nuclear waste research laboratory and repository in Bure. Read E-News Weekly 6/2006, 24/2004, 27/2002 & 17/2002. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=234991-2007, OJ S 193, or contact Andra, Châtenay-Malabry, fax +33 146118258. E-mail valerie.barrey@andra.fr 42/07.Setec bagged a EUR2 million contract for studies for the underground architecture of the long-life nuclear waste repository. Read E-News Weekly 6/2006, 24/2004, 27/2002 & 17/2002. Visit www.setec.fr 06/08.

  Possible tunnels for commencement 2001: Sinard south to Grenoble on autoroute A51; Lodeve on route nationale RN75. SGE, GTM and Eiffage to start work on A86 highway tunnel using Cofiroute TBM end-1999. Sept 1999.Socatop, a jv which comprises Campenon Bernard, GTM, Colas, Eiffage, and Jean Lefebvre, has started construction of the 4.5 km-long first section of the A86 east tunnel from Rueil to the A13 in sands, chalk, limestone and clay using its 11.6 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield. Tunnel will be segmentally lined at 10.4 m internal diameter and will accommodate three lanes of light traffic in each direction on two levels. Second 5.6 km-long section from A13 to Versailles will commence in 2004, and 7.6 km-long x 10.9 m i.d. west tunnel in 2005. For equipment details visit www.herrenknecht.de and for a pleasurable experience visit www.eiffage.fr December 2000.A JV of SEITHA and Clemessy has secured a contract to equip with Zitron fans the east tunnel on the A86 highway west of Paris. There will be approximately 200 fans, power ranging from 22 to 500 kW. Visit www.seitha.fr, www.clemessy.fr and www.zitron.com 30/05.Restricted invitation to tender, deadline 26.01.2009, for design and execution of major renovation work on section A14 of the A86 motorway, including fire detection/protection and lighting on some 15 km of tunnel, creation of five safety exits and improving access to existing niches and exits, upgrading ventilation and electrical installations, and ancillary works. Completion of works scheduled for end-2011. Further information, including specs and docs, from Magguy Desplan at DIRIF, tel +33 (0)1 4676 8724, e-mail magguy.desplan@developpement-durable.gouv.fr. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=331913-2008 01/09.

Auvergne - fr/19 Road Geological investigation by core drilling prior to invitations to tender for construction. More information from Service des Infrastructures Routieres, fax +33 471 455320. Sept 1999. Proposal for $75 million bi-directional Lioran road tunnel to be driven alongside and parallel to existing 1.4 km-long, 5.3 m-wide, 150 year-old tube connecting Aurillac and Clermont Ferrand. Old tunnel will provide service and escape route for new tunnel. Elevation 1,100 m. Award pending of contract for geological investigation. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int June 2000. Coreis and Foraco carrying out geological survey of existing 1.4 km-long, 153 year-old tube to establish alignment of proposed $65 million second tube. Visit www.foraco.fr 30/01. Preinformation notice for construction of the new Lioran tunnel, a two-way dual-lane 1,515 m-long 9 m-wide carriageway plus two 1 m-wide pavements. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=026634-2003, OJ S 32, or contact DDE du Cantal, Aurillac, fax +33 471455304 or 96. E-mail Tunnel-du-Lioran.srt.dde-Cantal@equipement.gouv.fr. Read E-News Weekly # 45. 08/03. Restricted procedure, deadline 4th April, 2003 for construction of the new Lioran tunnel on trunk road RN 122, a single bidirectional tube, length 1,455 m, width 9 m with two lanes and clearance 4.55 m. Two full-section drives (100 sq m) using drill/blast. Umbrella vaults at portals, fiber-reinforced shotcrete and rockbolts, HEB steel arches with sheet plates and concrete or with shotcrete. Final formwork concrete lining. Also drilling of four cross connections to the existing tunnel. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=043308-2003, OJ S 50, or contact DDE du Cantal, Aurillac, fax +33 471455304. 12/03. Preinformation notice for construction of the new 1,515 m-long Lioran tunnel, two-way dual-lane 9 m-wide carriageway plus two one m-wide pavements. This is a re-tender. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=113796-2003, OJ S 127, or contact DDE du Cantal, Aurillac, fax +33 471455304. E-mail Tunnel-du-Lioran.srt.dde-Cantal@equipement.gouv.fr. Read E-News Weekly 45/2002. 29/03.Open call for bids, deadline 1st September, 2003 for construction of a 1,515 m-long tunnel, two-way dual-lane 9 m-wide carriageway. Cross section 100 sq m. Drill/blast from two drives, fibre-reinforced shotcreting, rockbolting, HEB steel arches, concrete formwork. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=124750-2003, OJ S 138, or contact DDE du Cantal, Aurillac, fax +33 471455304. E-mail Tunnel-du-Lioran.srt.dde-Cantal@equipement.gouv.fr. Read E-News Weekly 45/2002. 31/03.Preparatory work is under way at the Lioran Pass on road RN 122 prior to starting excavation of a 1,455 m 11 m-wide single-tube tunnel. The portals are built by Forézienne d'Entreprises et de Terrassement. The one on the Aurillac side (contract M1) is completed while building of the second one on the Murat side (contract M2) is just beginning. The tunnel (contract M3) will be bored by a JV between Spie Batignolles TPCI, Campenon Bernard and Chantiers Modernes for EUR41.2 million. Two drives, the second to start six months after the first one awaiting completion of the second portal. Civil engineering to take two years, whereof 14 months for excavation. With the two underground ventilation stations, the tunnel will be 1,515 m in length. Minimum height: 4.5 m. Gradient: 3.6%. Contract also includes four 2.5 m-wide x 2.85 m-high cross passages (560 m in total) to the existing tunnel.Excavation of top heading first under a canopy of steel pipes at both ends, with steel arches as support. Then full-face excavation using drill/blast. Cross section comprised between 90 and 100 sq m depending on geology and the support to be implemented. Two fully computerized three-boom jumbos will be used, to be chosen in the fleet of the contractors.Support with 4 m-long resine rebars in the areas with water ingress or cement grouted rebars and Atlas Copco Super Swellex Mn 16 rock bolts as well as 10-15 cm shotcrete layer. Formwork concrete for final lining, 50 cm-thick at the walls and 40 cm-thick at the crown. Visit www.swellex.comVolcanic geology composed of trachytes, trachyandesites and highly heterogeneous pyroplastic layers with compressive strength varying from 0 to 120 MPa. Visit www.sb-tpci.fr, www.cbconstruction.fr and www.cantal.equipement.gouv.fr 11/04.Open call for bids, deadline 20th September, 2005 for transversal ventilation equipment for the 1.5 km Lioran tunnel on road RN 122. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=154725-2005, OJ S 155, or contact DDE du Cantal, Aurillac, fax +33 471455396 or 565591841. E-mail dde-cantal@equipement.gouv.fr 36/05.Open call for bids, deadline 31st October, 2005 for electrical equipment for the 1.5 km Lioran tunnel on road RN 122. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=177071-2005, OJ S 179, or contact DDE du Cantal, Aurillac, fax +33 471455386 or 565591841. E-mail dde-cantal@equipement.gouv.fr 38/05.SEITHA secured a contract worth EUR1.5 million (VAT not included) to install equipment in the 1.5 km Lioran tunnel. This includes transversal ventilation equipment and locks, atmosphere control, safety of the niches and anti-fire gates and bulkheads. Work to begin immediately for end in early 2007. Visit www.seitha.fr and www.cantal.equipement.gouv.fr 52/05-01/06.Open invitation to tender, deadline 13.03.2009, for installation of steel gantries at the portals of the new 1.5 km-long Lioran tunnel on highway Rn 122 in the communities of Saint-Jacques des Blats and Laveissiere (15). Work to be completed by September, 2009. For construction history of this project, visit tunnelbuilder archive fr/19. Specs and docs from Gerard Taureau at DRE Auvergne, tel +33 473431-587, fax -909, visit www.marches-publics.gouv.fr. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=029730-2009 06/09.

  Preliminary studies completed for French section through Pyrenees. This will now go to public enquiry. September 1998.   Invitation to prequalify, deadline 1st October, 2001, for concession to design, construct, maintain and manage twin-track 45.5 km-long railway line between Perpignan and Figueras with 8.2 km of twin-tube tunnels. Contact Railways Ministry, Paris, fax +33 1408 11661. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int and www.sncf.com 32/01.   The main French and Spanish contractors teamed up to prequalify for the design, build, maintenance and operate concession notice, which expired on 1st October, 2001. The competing jvs are: Vinci, Ferrovial; Bouygues, Dragados; Eiffage, ACS; Spie Batignolles, FCC, Comsa, OHL, Proser; Necso, Sacyr; and RFF (Réseau Ferré de France) and its Spanish counterpart GIF (Gestor de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias), the state-owned bodies in charge of rail infrastructure, with public engineering firms of both countries. Bids submission before March, 2002. The 2 x 8,141 m-long tunnel will cross the Pyrenees at Le Perthus Pass with 7,317 m in France and 845 m in Spain. Project valued at Euros714 million expected to be commissioned in 2005. Visit http://ted.eur-op.int, document S 127-086319. 41/01.   The six consortia prequalified in December, 2001 for the concession of the international high speed section between France and Spain, have all handed a proposal on 2nd April, 2002. They are: Ferromed, a jv of Réseau Ferré de France, Gestor de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias, Setec, and Ineco; Acciona / Sacyr; Dragados / Bouygues / DTP Terrassement / DV Construction; TP Ferro, a consortium between Eiffage / ACS / Appia / Forclum / Ví­­as y Construcciones / Cobra / Semi / Api / Electrén; FCC / OHL / Comsa / Proser / Corporacií³n General de Transporte / Rascon / Caja Madrid / Connex / Spie; and Vinci / Ferrovial. There is a 8 km tunnel in very hard rock under the Perthus pass, valued at €610 million. 15/02.   Euroferro, a consortium of Dragados, Bouygues Travaux Publics, DTP Terrassement and DV Construction, has been named preferred bidder for the concession of the Perpignan-Figueras high speed train between France and Spain. There will be a 2 x 8.2 km tunnel under the Perthus Pass. The line is due to open in 2005. 29/02.   The Spanish and French governments have concluded without reaching an agreement the negotiations with Euroferro, a consortium of Dragados, Bouygues, DTP Terrassement and DV Construction, for the awarding of a 50-year concession to build and operate the Figueras-Perpignan high speed line. The breaking-off of the talks is due "to the impossibility of both governments to accept the last requests of the consortium, incompatible with the principles that govern the concession". The consortium requested guarantees regarding a minimum traffic to ensure the profitability of the concession and regarding also "posible risks that may appear during the construction". Dragados explains the failed negotiation by the refusal from the Spanish and French governments to give "a series of financial guarantees" requested by the consortium.The €890.1 million bid submitted by Euroferro to build the link was not the cheapest but it was the shortest construction time with 51 months and work seven days a week. The share of the public subsidy in the consortium's bid was also 30% lower than in the other bids.The Spanish-French intergovernmental commission set up to select the concessionaire for the Figueras-Perpignan high speed link is now to invite bids from the interested tenderers. It is estimated that six to eight weeks will be necessary to replace Euroferro. The five JVs that bidded along with Euroferro are Ferrovial and Vinci; FCC, OHL, Comsa, Proser, Caja Madrid and Connex; ACS and its subsidiaries Cobra, Ví­­as y Construcciones and Electren with French contractor Eiffage; a consortium composed of Necso and Sacyr; and Réseau Ferré de France, Gestor de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias, Setec and Ineco.The Figueras-Perpignan line is 45.4 km in length, of which 24.6 km in France and 20.85 km in Spain. The project includes a 8,171 m tunnel under Le Perthus Pass in the Pyrenees, estimated to cost €335 million. It is now thought that the Figueras-Perpignan line will not be ready until 2007-2008 or even 2009-2010 according to the most pessimistic estimates. 17/03.   Notice of works concession, deadline 18th June, 2003 for the international section between Figueras and Perpignan of the high speed line between Spain and France. The concession is for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of a new 45.5 km line, 24.6 km of which in France and 20.9 in Spain, for passenger and freight traffic, including the Perthus twin-tube tunnel, approximately 8.2 km in length. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=079444-2003, OJ S 89, or contact Ministerio de fomento, Madrid, fax +34 91 5979342, e-mail midorrego@mfom.es or visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=079443-2003, OJ S 89, or contact Ministère de l'équipement, des transports, du logement, du tourisme et de la mer, Paris-La Défense, fax +33 140811661, e-mail louis.brisset@equipement.gouv.fr 20/03.  The four consortia bidding for the construction and operation under concession of the Perpignan-Figueras high speed link, budgeted at €714 million, are Dragados / ACS / Eiffage; Ferrovial-Agromí¡n / Vinci; Necso / Ití­­nere (Sacyr Vallehermoso) / Bouygues / FCC; and Gestor de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (GIF) and its French counterpart Réseau Ferré de France (RFF). The 45 km section requires the building of a double tunnel, 8.717 km-long, to cross the Pyrenees. 26/03.The Spanish and French governments have shortlisted two consortia for the concession contract of the high speed section between the two countries. The first consortium is ACS-Dragados and Eiffage, and the second is a team of Gestor de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (GIF) and its French counterpart Réseau Ferré de France (RFF). The budget is €714 million. Award expected before end of year. This section is 45.5 km in length and includes a 2 x 8,717 m tunnel to cross the Pyrenees in Le Perthus. 48/03.TP Ferro has been selected for build and operate under concession the international high speed rail section between Perpignan, France and Figueras, Spain. TP Ferro includes ACS-Dragados and Eiffage. Construction cost amounts to €952 million. The line length is 44.4 km, of which 24.6 km in France and 19.8 km in Spain. The main structure is the Le Perthus tunnel across the Pyrenees. This tunnel will span 8.3 km, of which approximately 7.3 km in France and 1 km in Spain. It is a dual-tube tunnel, one for each direction, that will be fitted with the latest safety equipment. Two double-shield TBMs will be used, starting from Spain. The construction of an intermediate access adit has been planned in the central part of the tunnel for geological investigation and ground treatment of the most difficult area. Time frame for commissioning is 60 months from signature of contract. Visit www.mfom.es, www.grupoacs.com, www.dragados.es and www.eiffageconstruction.fr 02/04.A consortium between Ingerop, Sener, Arcadis and Tuc Rail has been selected to design and execute the project management for the international high speed section between France and Spain, including a twin bore tunnel through the Pyrenees. The rail section will be more than 44 km in length and the first trains are expected to run in 2009. Click fr/16 & es/21. Visit www.ingerop.com, www.sener.es, - www.arcadis.nl and www.tucrail.com 15/04.Open call for bids, deadline 23rd May, 2005 for construction management of the Figueras-Perpignan section. This section includes a 8,717 m twin bored tunnel under the Perthus Pass. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=074572-2005, OJ S 77, or contact ADIF, Madrid, fax +34 915979342 or 915978470. E-mail vrpascual@mfom.es or cpublic@mfom.es 17/05.Ineco and Payma Cotas secured a EUR2.1 million contract for construction management of the Figueras-Perpignan section, which includes a 8,717 m twin bored tunnel under the Perthus mountain pass. Visit www.ineco.es and www.paymacotas.com 40/05.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 09.07.2009, for construction management of driverless light metro Line B in Rennes to connect Sud East with North East zones of Rennes between Mermoz and Beaulieu stations. Extension from Beaulieu to Champs Blancs under consideration. The Cleunay-Le Gast section will be underground. Click here for the alignment. Contact SEMTCAR, Rennes, tel +33 299858930, fax +33 299651151, email: info@semtcar.fr. Visit www.rennes-metropole.fr and http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=128873-2009. 20/09.