$1 billion road and rail tunnel under the Brisbane river under planning. The 5 km North South Bypass Tunnel would link the southeast Freeway at Woolloongabba with the Inner-City Bypass at Bowen Hills. Pre-feasibility study completed in September, 2001. 01/02.The Brisbane City Council proposes to construct the north-south bypass tunnel which is intended to connect the M1 (Pacific motorway) and Ipswich Road to the south with the Inner City Bypass to the north of the Central Business District / Fortitude Valley. The proposed route will generally follow the alignment of Ipswich Road/Main Street at Woolloongabba in the south, cross under the Brisbane River beneath the Story Bridge and the river bank at Kangaroo Point and then proceed through Fortitude Valley and exit at Bowen Hills northeast of the city, where it would connect with the Inner City Bypass. The project, which will consist of twin 4.7 km two-lane tunnels, is part of the implementation of the Transport Plan for Brisbane 2002-2016. Given the length, a TBM is the most likely technology to construct it. The project is in the detailed feasibility stage. More in E-News Weekly 38/2004. Read E-News Weekly 10/2004, 11/2003, 30/2002 & 16/2002. Visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 37/04.The Brisbane City Council invites qualified groups to express and register their interest in bidding for the North-South Bypass Tunnel project. Deadline 29th April, 2005. The successful bidder's responsibilities will include financing, design, construction, operation, maintenance and repair of the NSBT during the concession period (about 35 years). Toll collection will also be required. The project would have two parallel road tunnels, with the main tunnels approximately 5.2 km in length and each with two lanes. The project would be constructed in rock below the city and under the Brisbane River. It would link the Inner City Bypass and Lutwyche Road in the north with Ipswich Road and the southeast Freeway in the south. There will be connections to the Inner City Bypass and Lutwyche Road at Bowen Hills, the southeast Freeway and Ipswich Road at Woolloongabba, and Shafston Avenue at Kangaroo Point; cross passages connecting the tunnels for emergency exits; a ventilation system for managing in-tunnel air quality; two ventilation outlets, one in Woolloongabba and one in Bowen Hills, and a ventilation fan station adjacent to each ventilation outlet; a fire and safety system, supported by CCTV surveillance; in-tunnel traffic management and control centre; and emergency service facilities. Download the expression of interest document from Brisbane City Council tenders at https://olr1.brisbane.qld.gov.au/etendering/app/ProjectDetails?id=2871or e-mail nsbtinfo@brisbane.qld.gov.au or cliff.chidlow@brisbane.qld.gov.au for more information. Also visit www.nsbt-eis.com 11/05.The three bidders for the 2 x 5.2 km north-south bypass tunnel are RiverCity Motorway including Leighton Contractors, Baulderstone Hornibrook and Bilfinger Berger Concessions, with consultants Maunsell, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Golders and EDAW Gillespies and bank ABN Amro; BrisConnections including Thiess, John Holland and Hochtief, with bank Macquarie Bank; and Brisbane Express Motorway including Bouygues, Egis and McConnell Dowell. Visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 27/05.Two teams are bidding for the DBFO contract for the 2 x 5.2 km north-south bypass tunnel (NSBT) on the east side of Brisbane. RiverCity Motorway (Leighton Contractors, Baulderstone Hornibrook and Bilfinger Berger Concessions) and BrisConnections (Thiess, John Holland and Hochtief) will submit their bids in December. The 12 m-diameter tunnels will pass through sedimentary and metamorphic rocks as well as Brisbane tuff. The SKM-Connell Wagner JV is the city's technical adviser. The contract is scheduled to be awarded next May, with construction expected to end in late 2009. Visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 39/05.RiverCity Motorway consortium of Leighton Contractors, Bilfinger Berger's Concessions and Baulderstone Hornibrook arms, and ABN Amro has won the bid to build, own and operate a 45-year concession on the 2 x 5.2 km North South Bypass Tunnel (NSTB) project in Brisbane. The contract, awarded by Brisbane City Council, is valued in excess of AUD2 billion. The exact cost of the project or council contribution cannot be revealed until the end of the financial year after the contract with the winning consortium is actually signed. The contract is expected to be finalized in late July, with works to begin as early as August with the tunnel due to open 49 months after. Two tunnel boring machines, roadheaders, and blasting would be used to build the tunnel, which will carry two lanes per tube. The tunnel will be operational by 2010. Click au/21. View video here. Visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au, www.nsbt-eis.com, www.leightoncontractors.com.au and www.bh.com.au 19/06.The JV of Leighton Contractors, Baulderstone Hornibrook and Bilfinger Berger will receive two Herrenknecht hard rock TBMs (machines S-375 and S-376) for the NSBT (North-South Bypass Tunnel). They are 12,340 mm-diameter double shield machines, with respective lengths of 4,348 m for the first TBM and 4,067 m for the second, each featuring a cutterhead power of 4,200 kW and a cutterhead torque of 17,974 kNm. The geology is Brisbane tuff, Neranleigh-Fernvale beds and rhyolitic ignimbrite. The first stone was officially laid on 26th August on the entry points to the NSBT which will link Woolloongabba to Bowen Hills. The first delivery is expected in September 2007 with excavation starting in December 2007. Read E-News Weekly 29/2006. Visit www.herrenknecht.com 44/06.Infrastructure and engineering company United Group has finalised terms worth about AUD300 million for new works linked to the North South Bypass Tunnel (NSBT) in Brisbane. United Group has been nominated as mechanical and electrical subcontractor to the tunnel's builders, the Leighton Contractors and Baulderstone Hornibrook/Bilfinger Berger joint venture. United Group will look after the design, installation, and commissioning of all electrical, mechanical, controls, communications and fire services, as well as looking after ongoing maintenance of the tunnel for five years. Read E-News Weekly 29/2006. Visit www.unitedgroupltd.com and www.rivercitymotorway.net.au 06/07.