Norconsult has secured a €2.8 million contract to design a 10 km section of the city's ring road including three double-tube tunnels (1.6 km, 2.6 km, and 3.5 km), cross sections 2 x 55 sq metres, to be built in hard rock, probably using drill/blast. Work may start in 2004-2005. Norconsult is also responsible for the geological studies. Project cost around €250 million. Financing by the Norwegian public roads administration and toll. Visit www.norconsult.no 42/02.Three double-tube tunnels are planned on the west ring road in Bergen with connection to Flesland airport. From south to north, they are Birkelandsvatnet-Dolvik (1,640 m), which is partly a subsea tunnel, Dolvik-Sandeidet (2,600 m) with branch to existing road at Straume, and Sandeidet-Liavatnet (3,670 m). In Sandeidet, there is a second alternative with an underground connection. In that case, there will be one continuous tunnel from Dolvik to Liavatnet. Distance between tubes is about 10 m. Connections between the tubes every 250 m. Cross sections 2 x 53.5 sq m. Geology consisting of mostly of gneiss and amphibolite in the northern section, granite and gabbro in the south. Drill/blast method. In case of a continuous tunnel in Sandeidet, there may be a short cut-and-cover section. Support with rockbolts and shotcrete. Permanent lining of 4.5 m high concrete elements at the tunnel walls. Type of lining in the tunnel roof has not been decided yet. Project awaiting final approval of the plans and financing. Estimated work start in 2005. The project may be divided in several stages depending on financing. Geology studies by the University in Bergen. Experts from Statens Vegvesen - the Norwegian public roads administration - have investigated the risk for water leakages in the subsea sections. Risk analysis by Safetec Risk Management. Cost approx. NOK2.2 billion. Toll financing. Visit www.vegvesen.no 12/03.Open call for bids, deadline 12th July, 2004 for detailed plans and tender documents for national roads Rv 556 and Rv 557 between the airport road and Sandeide in Bergen. The assignment includes the Ytrebygsvegen, a 2 km two-lane road including roundabouts, and section Dolvik-Sandeide, a 3 km four-lane road including tunnels and intersections, part of the Bergen toll ring road system. The first stage includes one tunnel between Dolvik and Sandeidet. This tunnel will be lengthened to Liavatnet in a second stage without any open stretch at Sandeidet. There will be four separate on/off ramps with underground connection to the main tubes. The total tunnel length from Dolvik to Liavatnet will be about 6.5 km. Length of first stage is about 2.5 km. The length of the Kokstad tunnel south of Dolvik is about 1,650 m. Twin tubes of 50 sq m. Drilling and blasting, mostly in gneiss, with rock bolts and fibre-reinforced shotcrete as support. Mucking-out method to be decided by the contractor. Dates for work start depends on final financing. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=079929-2004, OJ S 100, or contact Statens vegvesen Region west, Leikanger, fax +47 55168715. E-mail kjell.myre@vegvesen.no 24/04.Open call for bids, deadline 4th May, 2006 for first construction stage of Bergen's west ring road, national road 557, consisting of a four-lane road between Dolvik and Sandeide and including a first 6.8 km tunnel section and other works. There will be six tunnel portals in all. View alignment map here. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=049609-2006, OJ S 47, or contact Statens vegvesen Region west, Leikanger, fax +47 57655986. E-mail ottar.midtkandal@vegvesen.no 11/06.Norconsult got the contract for the detailed plans for all the roads of the west ring road in Bergen. Value: NOK6,846,500. Visit www.norconsult.no 11/06.Mesta has submitted the low bid for a section of the Bergen west ring road, including a 6.8 km tunnel and other works, with NOK601,323,771. The other bidders are: Skanska (NOK610,137,387), NCC (NOK648,619,919) and Veidekke (NOK690,358,848). Click no/52. Visit www.mesta.no 24/06.Open call for tenders, deadline 15th January, 2008 for impulse ventilators with a combined driving power of 72-80 kN for fire ventilation in a new 2.6 km-long tunnel on Bergen's west ring road, section Dolvik-Sandeide. The maximum impeller diameter of the ventilator is 1.6 m. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=269769-2007, OJ S 221, or contact Stateng vegvesen Region west, Leikanger, tel. +47 281544010. E-mail gunnlo@vegvesen.no 47/07.Bemel Norge, Witt & Sohn's partner in Norway, pocketed a NOK7.2 million contract to supply impulse ventilators with a combined driving power of 72-80 kN for fire ventilation in a new 2.6 km-long tunnel on Bergen's west ring road, section Dolvik-Sandeide of road Rv 557. Visit www.bemel.no and www.wittfan.de 17/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 23.02.2009, for planning and engineering design services for 4 km-long section of Bergen ring road west between Sandeide and Liavatnet with four-lane road in twin tube tunnel. Contract period 01.04.2009 to 31.12.2013. The assignment also includes detail plans, tender documents, and follow-up during the construction phase. Further information from Elzbieta Tysper at Statens Vegvesen, Leikanger, tel +47 8154 4010, e-mail elzbieta.tysper@vegvesen.no. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=012039-2009 03/09.