To complete the Marche-Umbria quadrilateral scheme, missing road links have to be constructed on the SS 76 trunk road linking from east to west Ancona on the Adriatic coast to Perugia in the hinterland, on the SS 77 farther south from Civitanova Marche on the coast to Foligno in the hinterland and on the Fabriano-Camerino north-south foothill link between these two trunk roads. The roads form a quadrilateral, hence the name of the project.Two massive tenders were invited in 2004 to build the missing links. The lowest bidder for the first contract, budgeted at EUR1,174 million, is a consortium between Strabag, CMC and Grandi Lavori Fincosit. The low bid for the second contract, which value is EUR716.8 million, has been submitted by consortium Operae - headed by Baldassini Tognozzi-Pontello and including Guerrino Pivato, Salini-Locatelli and Satrel -, Toto Costruzioni Generali, and consortium Ergon Engineering and Contracting.It is hoped the contract will be signed in March while construction would commence in July 2006 and be completed in 2011. In all, 40 km of tunnel will be built, whereof 15 km by TBM. Visit www.infrastrutturetrasporti.it/sites/quadrilatero_marche_umbria/il%20progetto%20quadrilatero%20no_file/frame.htm 07/06.Lotti & Associati, Ramboll of Denmark and Casinelli Associates secured a EUR941,420 contract for technical, administrative, management and environmental assistance to reinforce the project management of the quadrilateral road scheme. Visit www.quadrilaterospa.it, www.lottiassociati.com, www.ramboll.dk and www.casinelli.net 03/07.The general contractor DIRPA Scarl, consisting of Consorzio Stabile Operae Tecnologie e sistemi integrati di costruzione, Toto SpA and Consorzio Stabile Ergon Engineering e Contracting Scarl, has been awarded two major road building contracts. The EUR135 million contract to construct 8.5 km of the SS 318 from Pianello Valfabbrica includes twin rock tunnels San Gregorio (1,000 m) and Colle Maggio (800 m) and the cut/cover Della Donna (400 m), for completion 2012. The EUR350 million contract to construct 21.5 km of the SS 76 includes 19 tunnels, the longest of which is Golla della Rossa at 3.77 km, for completion 2013. More from tunnelbuilder archive it/116. Visit www.quadrilaterospa.it and www.totospa.it. 09/09.