Initial design for 3.5 km single tube tunnel between Mezzolombardo and La Rupe in the autonomous province of Trento-Higher Adige. Exploratory/service tunnel to be driven at 4.8 m-diameter on parallel alignment in about one year’s time, probably using roadheader in dolomite. Expect invitation to tender for main tunnel in 2002. October 1999.   Restricted invitation to tender for excavation of 4.8 m-diameter investigation tunnel in dolomite for 3.5 km-long Mezzolombardo road tunnel. Contact PAT in Trento, fax +39 046 123 7737. Notice appeared 8th February, 2001 in European Gazette and at http://ted.eur-op.eu.int 08/01.  Excavation of 3.7 km-long pilot tunnel started early March by a jv of Giolai Costruzioni and De.Mo.Ter, east of Mezzolombardo between north Trento and Rocchetta. Outer diameter of 5.2 m and inner diameter of 4.9 m. South portal is located nearby Rupe and north portal next to the crossroads between provincial road 64 'Fai della Paganella' and SS 43 in Val di Non. The contractors are using a Wirth TBM. Design by Studio Geoingegneria. Completion expected in September 2002. Tenders for the main tunnel to be invited in 2003. Visit www.wirth-europe.com 36/02.Open call for tenders, deadline 22nd January, 2004 for design and build contract for the Trento north-Rocchetta road link, section Zambana Vecchia-connection with trunk road SS 43 to Fai della Paganella. Includes the Rupe tunnel, a 3,710 m-long single-tube tunnel, whereof 500 m will be bored in Ladin dolomites, 400 m in clay, 350 m in Raibl dolomites and 2,460 in main dolomites. Cross section: 155 m², width: 14.2 m and height: 8.4 m. A 5 m-diameter pilot tunnel has been excavated parallel to the future tunnel and will be used as an emergency tunnel when the new tunnel opens. Excavation cost: €33 million. Financing by Trento province. Time frame: 1,200 days from awarding date. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=186505-2003, OJ S 207, or contact Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Trento, fax +39 0461496460. E-mail rita.pancher@provincia.tn.it 47/03.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 28th September, 2005 for safety coordination during construction, measurements and operating management for the Trento north-Rocchetta roadway, section Zambana Vecchia-connection with road SS 43 to Fai della Paganella. The project includes the 3,710 m-long Mezzolombardo single-tube tunnel, whereof 500 m will be bored in Ladin dolomites, 400 m in clay, 350 m in Raibl dolomites and 2,460 in main dolomites. Cross section: 155 sq m. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=145944-2005, OJ S 146, or contact Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Trento, fax +39 0461496460. 35/05.The contract to design and build the 3,710 m-long Mezzolombardo single-tube tunnel on the Trento north-Rocchetta roadway, section Zambana Vecchia-connection with road SS 43 to Fai della Paganella, has been awarded to Collini, Cossi Costruzioni and IN.CO Ingegneri Consulenti, for EUR59.8 million. A pilot tunnel has already been bored. Click it/27. Visit www.cossi.com, www.incospa.it and www.provincia.tn.it/informa/bandi 35/05.Green light given by the technical committee for public works to construction of section Zambana Vecchia-Connection with road SS 43 to Fai della Paganella on the North Trento-Rocchetta section in Trento province. The project has been modified to include a twin bored tunnel in Mezzolombardo under Mount Corno, while only a single bored tunnel was planned initially. Work to start on 12th April for a duration of 1,250 days. The tunnel is also named Rupe.The north tunnel to Valle di Non is 3,633 m long (1,338 metres straight, 1,386 metres in curves and 908 metres of gradual change from straight to curved alignment). The south tunnel to Trento is 3,655 m long (1,436 metres straight, 1,409 of curves and 808 metres of gradual change from one type to the other). Maximum gradient of 1.63% in both tunnels. In view of the second bore added to the bypass, construction will cost EUR84,357,000. Tunnelling cost, including the cross passages between the two bores, iwill amount to EUR5,700 per metre. Click it/27. 15/06.A JV formed by Scetauroute, Presents, ATA Engineering, Studio Geo-Ingegneria and Stain Engineering received a EUR2.6 million contract for safety coordination during construction, measurements and operating management for the Trento north-Rocchetta roadway, section Zambana Vecchia-connection with road SS 43 to Fai della Paganella. The project includes a twin-tube tunnel under Monte Corno in Mezzolombardo, lengths of 3,633 m and 3,655 m. Click it/27. Visit www.scetauroute.fr, www.presents.fr, www.atagroup.com and www.stain-web.com/index2.html 26/06.The tunnel is built by Collini and Cossi Costruzioni, using a Hitachi Zaxis 350 excavator equipped with hydraulic hammer (north tunnel) and an Atlas Copco H 175 jumbo in a first stage at the south tunnel (500 metres) before shifting to a modern WL3C drill rig. Visit www.atlascopco.com and www.hitachi-c-m.com/global/products/index.html 26/06.