Mestre bypass on A4 Turin-Milan-Trieste motorway will involve four projects: 2 x 3 lane cut and cover tunnel on abandoned railway in waterbearing strata; two long tunnels using 16.9 m-diameter EPB in soft soil; twin tunnels 12.8 m-diameter and 30 m-deep in waterbearing strata running parallel to the existing bypass; and a 30 km-long two-lane motorway with 10 km in a twin tunnel with links to the old motorway at Mirano and in Quarto d'Altino. Visit www.norconsult.no 06/01. EIS to be launched for the Mestre interchange, on the A4 motorway on the mainland opposite Venice. Includes a TBM-driven 2 x 9 km tunnel between Dolo and Quarto d'Altino, for a cost of €1 billion. The scheme is to be built under a concession agreement. A joint company has been established between the three motorway companies Autostrade, Autovie Venete and Autostrada Venezia-Padova plus Veneto Sviluppo and banks to build and operate the motorway section but the EU has warned the project must be tendered at European level. Geotechnical studies by Rocksoil. Visit www.enteanas.it 18/02. ANAS, the national road administration, has approved the 32.3 km three-lane dual carriageway bypass in Mestre and its financing by the three motorway concessionaires - Autostrade, Autovie Venete and Societí  delle Autostrade di Venezia e Padova - who will build it. The scheme requires a 9 km dual tunnel that will be built and operated by ANAS. Total cost of €700 million. Work to commence in 2004 for completion in 2007. Visit www.enteanas.it 39/02. Government decision to build first the 32.4 km motorway bypass Dolo-Quarto d'Altino and the 9.5 km double-tube tunnel in a second phase. The motorway is known as Passante, a three-lane dual-carriageway to connect together three motorway sections, Milan-Venice and Venice-Trieste both on the A4, and Venice-Belluno on the A27. There will be seven cut-and-cover tunnels totalling 1,367 m. The required investment totals €699 million, €113.6 million of which on the state budget. Work may start in early 2004 for completion in second half of 2007. 46/02.ANAS, the road administration, has approved the preliminary study and the environmental impact survey for the Mestre tunnel. CIPE, the interministerial council for economic planning, has now to give its green light for the financing and construction. A company named Nuova Romea has been set up to build, finance and manage the tunnel. It comprises motorway concessionaires Autostrada Brescia-Verona-Vicenza-Padova (22%), Societí  delle Autostrade di Venezia e Padova (14%), Autostrade (20%), Autovie Venete (8%), Impregilo International (22%), contractors Impregilo, CMC, CCC, Grandi Lavori Fincosit, Mantovani, Strata (2% each), Adria Infrastrutture (1%), and banks Unicredit, Antonveneta, Opi (San Paolo-Imi), Banco Popolare di Verona e Novara. The 9 km twin tunnel will cost €1.34 billion to build. Visit www.enteanas.it 27/03.