$7 million finance package agreed by local authorities for design of second $175 million tube beneath river. Tenders for design expected Autumn, 2001 with construction start in 2004. First enquiry through www.dcftoulon.fr 19/01. Geological and geotechnical investigations for second tube about to start. Contact DDE du Var, tel +33 494468395. 42/01. Contract awards to ERG (lot 1) and Fondasol (lot 2) for core drilling and in situ testing as part of the second tube of the Toulon crossing. Visit www.fondasol.fr 04/02. Preinformation notice for engineering as part of the second tube of the city's underground crossing. The project is a 1.8 km-long 11 m-diameter tunnel with an average overburden of 25 metres, five 50 m-long 3.3 m-diameter cross passages, two 50 m-long 10 m-diameter cross passages, five access shafts and two 200 m-long cut-and-cover sections at each end. Construction estimated at €200 million. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=111226-2002, OJ S 141, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468141. 31/02.Restricted procedure, deadline 15th October, 2002 for engineering for the second tube of the city's underground crossing. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=117014-2002, OJ S 147, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468005 or +33 494468141. 32/02.A JV of Setec TPI and Terrasol has bagged a €8.9 million engineering contract for the second tube of the city tunnel linking highways A50 and A57 in Toulon. Visit www.tpi.setec.fr and www.terrasol.com 40/03.Open invitation to tender, deadline 26th February, 2004 for grouting work, construction of a shaft and a test tunnel as part of the second tube for the city's underground connection between highways A 50 and A 57. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=005712-2004, OJ S 7, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468141 or 494468005. 04/04.Open call for bids, deadline 10th March, 2004 for core drills as part of the second tube of the city tunnel linking highways A50 and A57. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=031354-2004, OJ S 36, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468141 or 8005. 11/04.ERG has secured a EUR167,200 contract for core drills as part of the second bore planned under Toulon to connect highways A50 and A57. Visit www.erg-sa.fr 27/04.Open call for tenders, deadline 7th December, 2004 for topographical services for the second tunnel under Toulon to link the A50 and A57 highways. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=177364-2004, OJ S 207, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468141. 44/04.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 17th January, 2005 for civil engineering for the second tube of the city tunnel across Toulon, to link highways A50 and A57. It is a two-lane tunnel, with a 210 m cut-and-cover section at the west end (A50 highway), a 1,818 m 120 sq m bored section to be driven in soft, very heterogeneous ground and a 201 m cut-and-cover section at the east end (A57 highway). Also 10 cross passages, five escape stairs and a 40 m-deep 200 sq m working shaft. Total estimated cost: EUR167 million. The tunnelling method will not be the mechanical precutting method nor a TBM. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=197213-2004, OJ S 229, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494463250. E-mail dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr. More at www.var.equipement.gouv.fr/depart/presse/dos-2004.html 49/04.Open call for tenders, deadline 1st August, 2005 for safety and health protection coordination, as part of the construction of the second tube of the 2.2 km cross city tunnel in Toulon. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=109697-2005, OJ S 110, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468141. 24/05.Open call for tenders, deadline 2nd November, 2005 for topographical measurements, as part of the construction of the second tube of the cross city tunnel in Toulon, which links the A50 and A57. It is a 1,818 m bored tunnel, with cut-and-cover sections at each end (210 m and 201 m), 10 cross passages to the existing north tube, an access shaft and three emergency exit staircases. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=191184-2005, OJ S 194, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494468141. 42/05.On 26th October, 2005 a defeated bidder lodged an appeal at the Nice administrative court to stop the signature of the civil engineering contract for the second tube (1.8 km) of the Toulon city tunnel between motorways A50 and A57. In a judgment pronounced on 14th November, 2005 the court questioned the procedure and ordered to the ministry of equipment and transport to launch a new call for tenders, expected in the next few weeks. 49/05.Open call for tenders, deadline 23rd June, 2006 for construction of the south tunnel of the Toulon crossing, to link highways A 50 and A 57. The tunnel will carry two lanes and be equipped with a semi-transversal ventilation system. The project includes cut-and-cover stretches (210 m at the west and 201 m at the east), a bored main tunnel (1,818 m), 10 cross passages to the existing tube, one ventilation crosscut, five escape staircases, two connecting galleries and a 250 sq m 40 m-deep working shaft. This is a re-bid. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=069735-2006, OJ S 67, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494463250 or 494468005. E-mail dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr or sg-marches.dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr 15/06.Open call for tenders, deadline 23rd June, 2006 for technical follow-up of the behaviour of buildings on the alignment of the south tunnel of the underground connection between highways A50 and A57 in Toulon. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=091065-2006, OJ S 86, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494463250 or 494468141. E-mail dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr or art-dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr 20/06.Open call for bids, deadline 8th September, 2006 for external topographical supervision, as part of the 1.8 km second tunnel of the underground connection between highways A 50 and A 57 in Toulon. The assignment includes, in particular, the control of measurements in the tunnel. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=139284-2006, OJ S 130, or contact DDE du Var, Toulon, fax +33 494463250 or 494468141. E-mail dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr or art.dde-var@equipement.gouv.fr 29/06.A EUR193 million construction contract for the south tunnel of the Toulon crossing, to link highways A 50 and A 57, has been awarded to Bouygues, Soletanche Bachy, and two affiliates of Bouygues, Colas Mediterranee and SREG Sud-Est. The tunnel will carry two lanes and be equipped with a semi-transversal ventilation system. The project includes cut-and-cover stretches (210 m at the west and 201 m at the east), a bored main tunnel (1,818 m), 10 cross passages to the existing tube, one ventilation crosscut, five escape staircases, two connecting galleries and a 250 sq m 40 m-deep working shaft. Visit www.bouygues-construction.com 40/06.The contract awarded to the Bouygues-led consortium to build the second tunnel of the underground connection between highways A50 and A57 in Toulon is worth EUR192.9 million. The contract was signed on 27th October, 2006. The project is financed by the French ministry of transport (27.7%), the Provence-Alps-French Riviera region (27.5%), the Var county council (22.5%), and the Toulon Provence-Mediterranee metropolitan area (22.5%). Construction of this 1.8 km tunnel, which will ensure uninterrupted traffic in the Marseille-Nice direction and take 30,000 cars/day away from the city centre, is expected to begin by the end of the year and last five years. The tunnel will be bored at a depth of 35 metres. In 2009, tenders will be invited for the EUR35 million E&M equipment of the tunnel. The first, Marseille-bound tunnel opened in the opposite direction in 2002. Visit www.var.equipement.gouv.fr 46/06.Open call for tenders, deadline 9th November, 2007 for external control during implementation of the waterproofing in the second bore of the tunnel linking motorways A 50 and A 57 in Toulon. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=231505-2007, OJ S 190, or contact DRE PACA, Marseille, fax +33 491284366. 41/07.Egis Rail secured a EUR321,000 contract for external control during implementation of the waterproofing in the second bore of the tunnel linking motorways A 50 and A 57 in Toulon. Visit www.egis-rail.fr 13/08.