Tenders imminent further to approval by the government of the construction of a 2,430 m-long two-lane tunnel in Piqueras on road N-111, in Soria province. Budget €46 million. Time frame for construction of 38 months. The tunnel will connect the Soria and La Rioja provinces running under the 1,710 m-high Piqueras Pass. 32/02. Open call for bids, deadline 7th February, 2003 for work control and supervision services for the 2,430 m-long Piqueras tunnel. Tender value €1.8 million. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=182400-2002, OJ S 229, or contact Ministry of development, Madrid, fax +34 915978537 or 8470. E-mail cpublic@mfom.es. Read E-News Weekly # 45. 49/02. Construction of a 4,680 m section of road N-111, including a 2,430 m tunnel under the Piqueras Pass, has been awarded to Obras Subterrí¡neas and Teconsa. Work was officially launched on 14th December for completion scheduled in September 2005. Total investment of approximately €40.6 million. Two simultaneous drives, one north at an altitude of 1,445 m on the La Rioja side and one south on the Soria side at an altitude of 1,470 m. There will be 25 m of cut-and-cover excavation at each portal. Maximum gradient 2.97%. The tunnel will accommodate two 3.5 m-wide lanes and will be equipped with 30 fans (each powering 45 kW), 818 lights permanently lit, and 16 inner and two outer video cameras. The management and control centre will be located on the Soria side. Visit www.obrassubterraneas.es 52/02.The ministry of development commissioned the work control and supervision for the Piqueras tunnel to a JV of Geoconsult Espaí±a and Investigacií³n y control de la calidad. Contract value: €1.44 million. The Piqueras tunnel is 2,430 m in length. Contract duration: 33 months. Visit www.geoconsult.es 23/03.Open call for tenders, deadline 2nd August, 2007 for complementary works at the Piqueras tunnel to comply with the 2006 safety regulation. A 2,625 m-long 21.32 sq m escape and rescue tunnel will be constructed parallel to the main tunnel and connected to the existing pressurised shelters, together with 11 crosscuts, 16 m long, between the two tubes. Full-face NATM will be used. The contract also includes equipment (normal and emergency lighting, signs, ventilation, CCTV, etc.). Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=135470-2007, OJ S 110, or contact Ministry of Development, Madrid, fax +34 915978537. 25/07.A joint venture formed by Obras Subterrí¡neas and Teconsa, who constructed the Piqueras tunnel, is likely to pocket also the contract to build the rescue and service tunnel after submitting the low bid, at EUR19.96 million. The 2,625 m tunnel, 21.32 sq m in cross-section, will be constructed parallel to the main tunnel and connected to the existing pressurised shelters by 11 crosscuts, each 16 m long. Full-face NATM will be used. The contract also includes equipment (normal and emergency lighting, signs, ventilation, CCTV, etc.). Visit www.obrassubterraneas.es and www.teconsa.net 41/07.The Ministry of development has awarded a joint venture formed by Obras Subterraneas and Teconsa the complementary safety works to upgrade the Piqueras tunnel on road N-111 and make it comply with the European safety regulation. The contract amounts to nearly EUR20 million and the time line is ten months. An escape and rescue tunnel will be built parallel to the 2,625 m-long tunnel and will be connected to the existing pressurised shelters. If all proceeds according to schedule, the Piqueras tunnel will be completed in the autumn of 2008, which means it will be opened three years later than the initial date. The ministry awarded in end-2002 the construction of the Piqueras tunnel to the same builders, who have been working on its construction since 2003. Nevertheless, the European Union approved in April 2004 a directive setting minimum safety requirements in road tunnels, which the ministry transposed into Spanish law. Read E-News Weekly 37/2004, 15/2004, 6/2004, 13/2003 & 45/2002. Visit www.obrassubterraneas.es and www.teconsa.net 04/08.Invitation to tender for installations in 2.3 km-long Torre del Bierzo tunnel on road N-VI, and 734 m-long La Barosa tunnel on road N-120. Contract value EUR270,130. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid= 289232-2008, OJ S 217 or contact Ministerio de Fomento, Madrid, Mr Juan Manuel Mendoza Melendez, fax +34 915 978547, e-mail jmmendoza@fomento.es 47/08.