Work started in August three months behind schedule on the 5,860 m-long Mala Kapela tunnel awarded to Coop Costruttori for €34.7 million. Completion expected in June 2005. Visit www.coopcostruttori.it and www.hac.hr 43/02. Strabag has signed a contract for the construction of the Brinje tunnel consisting of two parallel tubes, each totalling 1,560 metres. The contract value is €25.45 million. This amount does not include E&M equipment. Completion of the work is set for December 2003 and opening in June 2004. Visit www.bauholding.at and www.hac.hr 44/02. Croatian contractor Hidroelektra Niskogradnja and Czech contractor Subterra started excavation of the 2 x 2,290 m-long Plasina tunnel in November on motorway section Bosiljevo-Sveti Rok, part of the Zagreb-Split motorway. The project is worth €32 million. The tunnel should be completed in June 2004. Visit www.hac.hr, www.subterra.cz and www.hidroelektra-niskogradnja.hr. Read E-News Weekly # 51 for a full report on the tunnels on section Bosiljevo Interchange-Dugopolje Interchange. 51/02.Zagreb-based company Mediteran Union Tunel has been awarded in 2003 a concession contract for a BOT project consisting of the building and operation during 30 years of the Sveti Ilija-Biokovo tunnel. This is a 4.1 km 8 m-wide single-tube tunnel for two lanes. The tunnel would be built using the drill/blast method through limestone. The tunnel would pass through the Biokovo mountain to connect county road Z-6179 in Rastovac, Zagvozd municipality in the north with local road L-67177 in Bast, Baska Voda municipality in the south. The project includes a 3.5 km north access road and a 2.9 km south access road. The tunnel will be a direct link from the hinterland to the coastal Adriatic area and the Adriatic motorway.The company is seeking partners, either infrastructure operator or construction company, to join the concession company. According to feasibility studies, first class vehicles would pay a EUR2.6 toll. The estimated cost to build the tunnel is EUR50 million. Potential partners may contact Mediteran Union Tunel d.d., Mr. Ljubo Grepo, Zeleni Trg 6A, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Tel. +385 16199 612 or 16199613, fax +385 16199614, e-mail mut@zg.tel.hr 36/04.