tunnelmachines projects

15 km-long, 3.5 m-diameter Saavedra-Moron tunnel reaching completion by Wayss & Freytag/Sollazo Hnos for Aguas Argentinas using Herrenknecht EPB. Safege Montgomery Watson are client’s engineer. Tunnelling conditions post-evaluation study carried out by team chaired by Mike Kobler of Underground Construction Managers and including Alastair Biggart of Hatch Mott MacDonald and Gary Brierley of Brierley Associates. Visit www.brierleyassociates.com January 2000.

Completion of $65 million Saavedra-Moron reported. The tunnel comprises four drives of 3.56 km, 4.2 km, 3.7 km, and 3.8 km at depth 35 m from five shafts. Ground conditions were variable, ranging from quicksands under 2.5 bar pressure, through green sandy clays to hard consolidated silts with calcareous nodules. Soil conditioning using bentonite or foam, or both. The two Herrenknecht 4.3 m-diameter EPBs averaged 20 x 1.2 m-wide gasketed rings/day with a best performance of 35 rings. Visit www.herrenknecht.com March 2000.

18.5 km from Xilang to East Station to be commissioned June, 1999 at final cost of $US1.53 billion. April 1999.

Construction of 21.34 km-long section of Metro Line 2 commenced in July, 1998 for completion 2003 at a cost of $1.2 billion. Undergoing feasibility studies is Suburban LRT Line with a total length of 26 km. Contact Director, Guangzhou Preparatory Office of Underground Railroad, No 204 Huanshi Road, Guangzhou, China 510010. November 1999.

Work commenced on 23.3 km-long Line 2 with 22 stations at projected cost of $1.3 billion. Phase 1 being undertaken by Shanghai Tunnel Shareholding Company involves TBM boring 190 m-long connection under Pearl river from Haihu Square station site for completion in 2002. Project commissioning scheduled for 2004. May 2000.

Two new lots awarded this year: north tunnel to Ministry of Railways Tunnel Bureau with two new Herrenknecht TBMs; and south tunnel to Guangzhou Municipal Dunjian Underground Construction Engineering Co.,Ltd who have purchased two Herrenknecht machines from the North East Line in Singapore. Each of the four machines will bore approx. 2 km in weathered mudstone/claystone up to 60 Mpa with some clay areas. The machines have VMT guidance and are EPB with hard rock features including cutters, powerful drive, stabilisers and optional semi-open or open mode. Segments are 1.5 m long, 5 + 1 (left and right), outside diameter 6.0 m, inside 5.4 m. The moulds & segment design by Ceresola AG. Visit www.ceresola.com and www.herrenknecht.com October 2000.

13.5 km eastern extension of Line 1 along Chang’an Street between Xidan and Bawangfen which has been under construction since 1996 should be completed by May, 2000 at a cost of $0.9 billion. Test operations underway on 10.7 km section between West Tian’anmen Square and Sihui and work proceeding on section between Tian’anmen Square and Xidan. Westside South-North Line with total length of 19.5 km under feasibility study. Contact Gao Yucai, MD, Beijing Mass Transit Railway Corporation, No 2 Beiheyan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, China 100044, tel +86 10 832 0560, fax 832 0077. November 1999.

Metro line 5 will be constructed by Beijing Underground Construction Group Pte Ltd using new 6.2 m-diameter Herrenknecht EPB value $5 million. Visit www.herrenknecht.com May 2000.

Five sections of Line 5 from Dongdan north to Yonghegong will be constructed by Beijing Underground Construction Group using a new Herrenknecht 6.2 m-diameter EPB scheduled for delivery November, 2000. Lining will comprise six-piece 1.2 m-wide segmental concrete rings with i.d. 5.4 m. The first job in January, 2001 will be a test tunnel from Beixinqiao to Yonghegong in Quaternary clayey soil with sand, gravel and silt with 25 mm maximum particle size where the water table is at 6 m to 10 m below surface level. Visit www.herrenknecht.com June 2000.

Beijing No 5 Subway Line Investment Co Ltd, 37.5% owned by SNC-Lavalin, has secured $1.45 billion funding to start five-year construction of 27.6 km-long No 5 line. Final design approved for link between Songjiazhuang in Fengtai district in the south to Taipingzhuang in Changping district in the north, and 700 m-long test section is under construction. Visit www.snc-lavalin.com and www.herrenknecht.com 18/01.

Herrenknecht reports 6.2 m EPB launch from shaft at Lama Temple for 680 m drive to Beixinqiao Station at an average depth of 20 m in silty clays, fine sands and gravels with maximum water table 10 m above crown. First 60 m completed using screw conveyor to skips, then backup taken underground and connected. Precast concrete ring with straight, right and left segments, 1.2 m-long and 300 mm-thick. Average 2 rings/12h-day, max 3 rings during launch. Non-cement grout pumped from surface to tailskin. Herrenknecht responsible for first 100 m of excavation including site set-up, settlement control, ring quality and training. Visit www.herrenknecht.com 31/01.

Construction of No. 13 subway line between Beijing urban ring and international airport announced at 5th Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Symposium. Line will be 18.15 km-long with 1.63 km at grade, 12.82 km elevated, and 3.7 km underground, and will start driving north-east at Wangjingxi station and have nine stations. Cost estimated at 4.3 billion yuan for construction between January, 2002 and December, 2004. Overseas investment invited. Visit www.xinhua.net 45/01.

Beijing Construction Engineering Co. Ltd. and Bilfinger+Berger are to invest a further US$9 million in their jv Chang Cheng Bilfinger Berger Construction Engineering Corp. Ltd. to lobby for the construction of Beijing's No. 5 subway line. The north-south 27.7 km No. 5 metro line is urgently needed by Beijing as it will be the main artery between the city's southern areas and its north, where the Olympic Games village will be located. 10/02.

Plans have been approved for Line 10 of the Beijing Metro and construction work is expected to begin at the end of this year. Phase one, which also includes the Olympic Extension, will run largely underground. It will be 24.59 km-long with 22 underground stations while the Olympic Extension will be 5.91 km long and have four underground stations. Altogether, the 33 km line will have 28 stations, of which 27 stations will be constructed underground. Line 10 will pass through the Central Business District and will intersect with Lines 1, 4 and 5 and the City Rail Line System. Tenders for various engineering and civil work contracts are being invited and completion is scheduled before the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. The total investment is estimated at US$873.25 million. 45/03.

MTR Corporation, Hong Kong's metro operator, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Beijing Infrastructure Investment Co. Ltd and Beijing Capital Group to form a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for construction and operation of Line 4. The total investment for metro line 4 is about USD1.9 billion. The 28.65 km line is underground, running from south of the fourth ring road at Majialou Station to north of the Summer Xuan Sun Wu, Xi Cheng and Hai Dian Districts. It will be Beijing's main north-south traffic artery and one of the major infrastructure projects for the 2008 Olympic Games. Visit www.mtr.com.hk 20/04.

Bernold-Ceresola has been awarded the contract to supply six sets of 6,000 mm stationary moulds by Beijing Ruibo Cement Products for the concrete segments of the Beijing metro line 4. Visit www.bernold-ceresola.com 21/04.

The Beijing metro Olympic extension construction contract has been awarded to a joint venture comprising China Railway Engineering Company, China Railway Electrify Bureau Group Company and China Railway Third Bureau Group Company. The BOT contract is valued at USD133.53 million.
The Olympic extension on Line 10 will be 4.34 km long and the entire line will run underground. There will be four stations and it will be the only metro line reaching the central area of the Olympic Park. Completion is scheduled for June 2008. 25/05.

Soletanche undertaking 10 km of pipejacking using two Herrenknecht machines of 2.6 m and 2.25 m diameter. December 1999.

Two road tunnels costing $120 million using Herrenknecht Mixshield. Contractor: jv of Campenon Bernard/SGE with Bouyges, Dumez, GTM, Spie Batignolles and Arab Contractors. June 1998.

Two-lane tunnel with two tubes of 2.5 km built by Arab Contractors, Campenon Bernard, Eiffage, and Spie, inaugurated on 28th October, 2001. Equipped with anti-fire walls and slide access every 100 metres to an emergency gallery under the carriageway. 45/01.

9.5 km TBM drive awarded to jv of Spie Batignolles, Sotrabas, Razel-Pico and Bilfinger & Berger. Second drive of 8.4 km due for award. March 1998.

Two tunnels, the 8 km Galerie Salazie Amont from the Mat river to the Pluis river and the 9.65 km x 3.2 m-diameter Galerie Salazie Aval from the Pluis river to the Fleurs-Jaunes river will allow transfer of water from the east of the island to the west. The Amont is being driven by a jv led by Bouygues and the Aval by a jv led by Spie Batignolles, both of which include Razel, Pico, Sotrabas, and Bilfinger & Berger. Two Herrenknecht TBMs are in use in basalts and similar volcanic rocks with maximum cover of 1,000 m. Fax M Coulet of Razel/Pico in Reunion, +262 44 9820 for progress and visit www.herrenknecht.com for further details of the TBM specifications. February 2000.

Possible tunnels for commencement 2001: Sinard south to Grenoble on autoroute A51; Lodeve on route nationale RN75. SGE, GTM and Eiffage to start work on A86 highway tunnel using Cofiroute TBM end-1999. Sept 1999.

Socatop, a jv which comprises Campenon Bernard, GTM, Colas, Eiffage, and Jean Lefebvre, has started construction of the 4.5 km-long first section of the A86 east tunnel from Rueil to the A13 in sands, chalk, limestone and clay using its 11.6 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield. Tunnel will be segmentally lined at 10.4 m internal diameter and will accommodate three lanes of light traffic in each direction on two levels. Second 5.6 km-long section from A13 to Versailles will commence in 2004, and 7.6 km-long x 10.9 m i.d. west tunnel in 2005. For equipment details visit www.herrenknecht.de and for a pleasurable experience visit www.eiffage.fr December 2000.

A JV of SEITHA and Clemessy has secured a contract to equip with Zitron fans the east tunnel on the A86 highway west of Paris. There will be approximately 200 fans, power ranging from 22 to 500 kW. Visit www.seitha.fr, www.clemessy.fr and www.zitron.com 30/05.

River Trave tunnel 900 m-long at cost of DM 300 million to be driven by jv of Hochtief and Bilfinger & Berger for commissioning 2005. 30-year concession. February 1999.

Toll tunnel 1 km-long under River Trave awarded to jv of Hochtief and Bilfinger & Berger value $154 million. Land acquisition survey completed. Construction will commence in 2001 and last four years. October 1999.

$160 million finance for Herren tunnel will be on BOT basis. It becomes the first toll route in Germany, with a 30 years handover. Federal government is contributing more than half of the cost as the difference between that of bridge and tunnel. October 1999.

Herrentunnel Lubeck GmbH has been formed by Hochtief and Bilfinger & Berger to plan, construct, finance and operate the twin-tube, 11.5 m o.d., 10.5 m i.d., 1.04 km-long tunnel which will be 9.5 m below the riverbed. A shield will be used for 780 m and the remaining 260 m will be cut-and-cover, with 600 m of ramps. There will be two crosspassages for emergency use. Construction to commence Spring, 2001 for opening 2005. Visit www.bilfingerberger.de Sept 2000.

Schleswig Holstein regional government has approved 1 km-long, twin-tube Herren tunnel for Lubeck municipality for construction start in 2002 by Hochtief/Bilfinger & Berger subsidiary. Visit www.hochtief.de 14/01.

Preparatory works of the Herren tunnel under river Trave in Lübeck started in October, 2001. The tunnel has two 750 m tubes connected by two cross passages. It will be built under DBFO by a joint company of Hochtief and Bilfinger+Berger. Tunnelling to start at summer 2002 using a overhauled Herrenknecht hydroshield machine used to bore a tunnel under the Weser river in Bremen. Visit www.herrentunnel.de 05/02.

Construction of 1.31 km-long, 2.5 m-diameter section of southwest sewer awarded to Wuwa Bau at value $7.2 million. Will be bored early-2000 by a Herrenknecht shield which is currently completing another stretch. October 1999.

Wesser, near Bremen, twin highway tunnel 2 x 1.6 km using 11.67 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield S-152. Contractors Hochtief AG, Philipp Holzmann AG, Ludwig Freytag GmbH, Heinrich Hecker GmbH and Martin Oetken GmbH. November 1999.

11.7 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield has completed 1.3 km with 300 m to go on south tube. Will be dismantled and taken back across Weser for relaunch for north tube after planned modification to cutterhead to improve bentonite flow through integral rock crusher. Ground conditions are sand, clay, gravel and boulders up to 1 m diameter. 140,000 t of Norwegian granite of 150 mm nominal sizing placed as carpet over 500 m-long x 75 m-wide section of riverbed as protection against blowout and tunnel elevation has been deepened by 3.5 m. The 30% of cutters visible above the lowered bentonite level have been changed twice by divers, but slower progress is presently more acceptable than further cutter changes at up to 4.5 bar. Segmental lining outside diameter 11.3 m and 50 cm thick with 1.5 m width. Weight of 6+1 ring is 65 t. Average advance 3 rings/day in clay and 10 rings/day in sand. Overall average 4.2 m/day with 16 m maximum. Visit www.herrenknecht.com October 2000.

Hochtief reported successful breakthrough of its 11.7 m-diameter Herrenknecht slurry TBM on the south tube of the Weser crossing north of Bremen on Tuesday 14th November, 2000 after a difficult drive in which great precaution was taken to avoid blowout through the riverbed. The holing was "inch-perfect", thanks mainly to expert operation of the VMT guidance system. The TBM will now be dismantled and transported across the river for assembly and relaunch on the north tube. For further details visit www.hochtief.de or www.herrenknecht.com November 2000.

North tube of Weser tunnel got underway on 26th February, 2001 following three months TBM recommissioning. The machine was officially relaunched by Niedersachsen´s tunnel godmother, Dr Birgit Grote. With seven-day working, this second tube should hole through by end-2001. Visit www.hochtief.de and www.herrenknecht.com 09/01.

Negotiated procedure, deadline 6th April, 2004 for design engineering for a 1.4 km immersed tube tunnel under the Weser river on section 4 Hafenrandstrasse-Strom of the A281 motorway. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=041419-2004, OJ S 48, or contact GPV Bremer Gessellschaft, Bremen, fax +49 4213303877. 12/04.

The 2.56 km-long fourth Elbe tunnel broke through safely on 1^st March, 2000 after a harrowing 29 month drive. The 14.2 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield, the largest ever built, worked at up to 14 m/day through extremely complex ground comprising gravel, granite blocks, sand, silt, tillite and mica silt under pressures of 5 bar with minimum cover of 7 m to the riverbed. A stonecrusher positioned behind the cutting wheel dealt with boulders up to 1.2 m-diameter, while an integrated active centre cutter with a diameter of 3 m located in the middle of the cutting wheel was able to drill independently up to 0.6 m ahead to prevent adhesion. Acoustic reflection measurements detected geological changes up to 40 m ahead of the machine. The 2,600 t, 3,200 kW machine will now be refurbished for a 3.2 km-long city motorway tunnel in Moscow. More from www.herrenknecht.com March 2000.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 8th April, 2004 for core drills and ground investigation as part of a new Elbe river crossing in tunnel on the northwest bypass in Hamburg on highway A20. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=044535-2004, OJ S 52, or contact Straßenbauamt Itzehoe, Itzehoe, fax +49 4821662714. 13/04.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 23rd August, 2004 for core drills and ground investigation as part of a new Elbe river crossing in tunnel on the northwest bypass in Hamburg on highway A20. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=118852-2004, OJ S 139, or contact Straßenbauamt Itzehoe, Itzehoe, fax +49 4821662714. 31-32/04.

Open call for tenders, deadline 8th March, 2005 for execution of 24 core drills in the Elbe at 70 m under the water and testing plus 12 penetration testing in the Elbe, as part of the new Elbe crossing on the A20 northwest bypass. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=010391-2005, OJ S 11, or contact Landesbetrieb Strassenbau und Verkher Schleswig-Holstein, Itzehoe, fax +49 4821662714. 04/05.

Negotiated procedure, 6th May, 2005 for project planning and design of the A20, northwest bypass in Hamburg, on its section running from the A20/K28 connection in east Drochtersen in Lower Saxony to the A20 / B431 in south Glueckstadt in Schleswig-Holstein nearby the Elbe tunnel crossing. The route section has a length of approx. 10.4 km, whereof approx. 6 km of tunnel. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=064984-2005, OJ S 67, or contact Landesbetrieb Strassenbau und Verkher S-H, Itzehoe, tel+ 49 4821662602 or 2632 or 2681. 15/05.

Negotiated procedure, deadline 21st November, 2005 for the draft design of the new Elb crossing for the A 20 northwest bypass in Hamburg, section from the K 28 in Lower Saxony to the B 431 in Schleswig-Holstein. It will be presumably a two-tube tunnel in loose material, built by TBM. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=200805-2005, OJ S 203, or contact Landesbetrieb Straßenbau und Verkehr Schleswig-Holstein, Itzehoe, fax +49 4821662714. 43/05.

Elbe-Link Ingenieurgemeinschaft, a joint venture of IMS Ingenieurgesellschaft, Spiekerman, Boeger + Jaeckle and Babendererde Ingenieure, received a EUR1.3 million contract for the feasibility study of the northwest bypass of the A 20 in Hamburg, from the K 28 (Lower Saxony) to the B 431 (Schleswig-Holstein), including a possible Elb crossing in tunnel. The assignment encompasses the alternatives for length, construction method, planning of all engineering work, technical equipment, the production of a draft for the preferred variant, etc. Visit www.ims-ing.de, www.spiekermann.de, www.boeger-jaeckle.de and www.bab-ing.com 19/06.

India
Bombay - in/31
Sewage Transfer
Herrenknecht 3.1 m-diameter single-shield hardrock TBM delivered to jv HCC/McNally for 2.3 km-long, 20 m-deep, segmentally-lined Ghatkopar high level tunnel in weathered basalt where high water inflows are possible. Client: BMC/World Bank. Engineer: Binnie & Partners (India), TCE Consulting Engineers. Segment moulds from CBE. Visit www.hccindia.com and www.herrenknecht.com 32/01.

Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Ltd (BMRTL) is inviting expressions of interest, deadline 18th May, 2005 for general consultancy services for the Bangalore metro, Phase I consisting of two corridors (east-west and north-south). The first phase covers 33 km, whereof 26 km elevated and 7 km underground (3.4 km on the east-west line and 3.3 km on the north-south line). The estimated construction cost is USD900 million. The project will take five years to build. The scope of the services include, among other things, preliminary system design; tender design and tender documentation; bid process management and selection of designers, contractors and suppliers; review of detailed designs; construction supervision; quality, safety and environment management; contract management; testing and commissioning of the entire system. Contact Managing Director, Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Ltd. (BMRTL), Unit 305, 3rd Floor, Blue Cross Chambers, No.11, Bhagwan Mahavir Road Cross, (Infantry Road Cross), Bangalore 560001. Tel. +91 80 25599324, 25599325 or 25591061, fax +91 80 25591699. Visit www.bmrtl.com/ExpressionGC.pdf. A prequalification notice of contractors for the elevated sections has also been published. Visit www.bmrtl.com/tendernew.htm. Subscribe to E-News Weekly 1/2003. 14/05.

Two 800m x 8m-diameter tunnels to be driven by EPB and one 300m by conventional methods for Italferr. December 1998.

$40 million. Joint venture of Alpine Bau, Coopsette and CCC to construct 1.9 km x 38.5 m2 segmentally-lined tunnel between Roma Trastevere and Roma St Peter stations on Viterbo line using EPB. Single bore of 7 m i.d. Quattro Venti underground station at halfway position included in the contract. August 1999.

Construction of $29 million, 2.2 km-long Quattro Venti single bore, twin-track tunnel awarded to Astaldi/Impregilo for July, 2001 start. Herrenknecht 7.9 m-diameter EPB will install precast segmental lining on drive from Trastevere to San Pietro in tuff, silt-clay alluvials, and gravel with 2-6 m cover and up to 3.5 bar water pressure. Visit www.rocksoil.com and www.herrenknecht.com 17/01.

Kuwait City - kw/11
Sewers
Greenline (Lebanon) and Kuwaiti Brueckner Construction using numerous Herrenknecht AVN machines from 500 mm to 1,200 mm to drive up to 1 km/month on different projects. Contact through www.herrenknecht.com April 2000.

Three tunnels along 160 km alignment: Botlek, Sophia and Pannerdensch. Botlek is 1.74 km and is being built by BTC consortium using a Herrenknecht TBM. Sophia is 6 km and will be built by the Tubecon consortium. Clays and peaty layers under high water tables. Netherlands Railways Betuwe Management Group is the responsible authority through the offices of Rene Buvelot and Jan Jonker. Consultant: Professor Bernard Maidl, Ruhr University. Completion for 2005. March 1998.

Invitation to tender for design and construct of line south including tunnels. August 1999.

Contract award to jv of Heymans, Strukton, Boskalis and CFE for 22 km-long Papendrecht-Lingeval section of the Betuwe line from Rotterdam to Cologne value $220 million. Includes 1.4 km Giessen tunnel in cut-and-cover. November 1999.

Award of $160 million contract to Comol jv for 1.85 km-long, 8.65 m-diameter twin-tube tunnel on Betuwe line to cross beneath Pannerdensch canal and main Zevenaar railway lines for a start in April, 2000. Comol comprises Dumez-GTM, Campenon Bernard, TBI Betonen Waterbow, Welling Didam and CFE. January 2000.

The Betuwe line will be twin track throughout and parallels the A15 highway across Holland. It involves some 130 structures, which include five tunnels totalling 18 km in length. Total project cost estimated at $4.5 billion. Zevenaar tunnel near Emmerich will be 1.5 km-long cut-and-cover using sheet piling with underwater concrete. Giessen tunnel base will have to be supported on piles because of poor support characteristics of ground in this area. Currently in design to cross beneath small waterway. March 2000.

Consortium Comol led by Vinci allied with CFE, TBI Beton-en Waterbau and Welling started excavating beneath Pannerdensch Kanaal near Arnhem using Herrenknecht Mixshield from Cairo metro. Two 9.8 m-diameter bores of 1,600 m to be driven in tricky conditions consisting of sand and clay together with crossing of a dyke and a flooded sand quarry. Contract value is Euro160 million. Visit www.groupe-vinci.com and www.herrenknecht.com 42/01.

Twin tube 6.6 km-long undersea highway tunnel using two 11.3 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshields from an artificial polder at Terneuzen on the south side to 20 m-deep concrete caissons at Ellewoutsdijk on the north side. Face supported by water/bentonite mix and all spoil is pumped to surface separation plant. Much of the tunnel will be in the very dense Boom clay which varies in thickness between eight and 38 m in the middle of the Schelde, but sand above and below this stratum is of variable quality, sometimes containing glauconite. At deepest point tunnel is 65 m below sea level, and machines are designed to work up to 8.5 bar. Two pressure chambers on each TBM allow transfer of divers by transport capsule from a pressurised habitat at surface to the face for continuous operations, saturation diving over long periods if necessary. Interlocking gasketed lining of 7 segments and key. 26 cross-passages planned at 250 m intervals where five-ring special sections are being installed on advance and freezing will be necessary. Service duct installed at floor level and invert backfilled on advance. Rear 160 m of TBM gantry supported by roller brackets installed to sidewall. Two Schoma locos required on each material train to cope with 4.5% gradient at entrance ramp. TBMs have advanced 600 m in east tube and 500 m in west tube. Contracting jv KMW are to design, construct and maintain tunnel for first 10 years of operation. Opening date March, 2003. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl for further information. February 2000.

The record-breaking saturation diving operation conducted at 6.5 bar pressure to install 12 larger profile cutters on each of the TBMs has been successful and both machines are boring again. The changeover took six working days for each machine, and 11 days including decompression. See Hall of Fame entry or visit www.herrenknecht.com August 2000.

KMW reports both TBMs 2 km into 6.6 km drives following recent installation of profile cutters by divers when excessive pressure in waterbearing sands caused distortion to shields. Now advancing at 14 rings/day in Boom clay without difficulty. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl and www.herrenknecht.de December 2000.

The two Herrenknecht Mixshields excavating the Westerschelde tunnel are reported to break record after record. 'Sara', the machine boring the east tube, has recorded an advance of 32 metres in just 24 hours. Only 724 metres are still to go to reach Zuid-Beveland. 'Neeltje Suzanna' only has to bore 210 metres and is expected to arrive in Ellewoutsdjik at the end of January, 2002. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl and www.herrenknecht.com 03/02.

'Sara', the second Herrenknecht Mixshield has completed on 12th February the east bore of the Westerschelde tunnel project following 'Suzanna' which reached its final destination on the west tube three weeks before. See Hall of Fame entry or visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.westerscheldetunnel.nl 09/02.

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands inaugurated the Dutch longest road traffic tunnel on 14th March. The Zeeuwsch Vlaandren province is cut off from the other parts of the Netherlands by the Westerschelde port entrance to Antwerpen. The new link will provide a faster and more economical route for around 27,000 vehicles a day between Ellewoutsdijk in Zuid-Beveland and Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen near Terneuzen. Central Zeeland and Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen will be permanently linked together. The tunnel is a 6.6 km-long undersea highway tunnel consisting of two tubes, each with two 3.5 m-wide lanes, with 26 cross passages every 250 m. The builders are KMW (Kombinatie Middelplaat Westerschelde), a JV of Philipp Holzmann, Wayss & Freytag, Franki, BAM Infrabouw, Heijmans and Voormolen. 'Sara' and 'Suzanna', two Herrenknecht Mixshields, 11.3 m in diameter, started from an artificial polder at Terneuzen and bored through to 20 m-deep concrete caissons at Ellewoutsdijk. The bulk of the tunnel is running at up to 60 m below sea level, making it the deepest ever to be driven. Both tubes have a concrete lining of 53,000 segments. The €726 million tunnel is open to road users since 15th March. Visit www.westerscheldetunnel.nl and www.herrenknecht.com 12/03.

Part of Betuwe line. Tubecon consortium will start construction in April, 2000 using Herrenknecht 10 m-diameter EPB for 2 x 4 km bores in clays and peaty layers. Overall length of tunnel 8 km to include 2 km-long cut-and-cover sections at each end. Slightly heavier segments than elsewhere on Betuwe line, but 8.65 m inside diameter similar to Botlek to accommodate stacked container traffic. Visit www.herrenknecht.com February 2000.

Herrenknecht advises that its 9.785 m-diameter Mixshield S-150 will be equipped with the revolutionary sonic software probing (SSP) system, a seismic forecasting process that uses sensors installed to the cutting wheel to emit soundwaves into the strata ahead of the machine and receive the reflected signals. The sensors are countersunk into the steel of the spokes and are designed to withstand pressures of up to 6 bar. The data is processed onboard by three high-performance PCs which reproduce a 3-D screen image of the ground up to 40 m ahead. The TBM is being assembled at the launch shaft and boring is scheduled to start in May, 2000. The reception shaft at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht is still under construction. Contact through www.herrenknecht.com March 2000.

Two lines to be built: north-south between Sto Ovido, Trinidad and Hosp S Joao with 3 km underground, and east-west between Mercado, Trinidad and Campanha, with 2.7 km underground. Concession signed with Metro do Porto and contract placed with Normetro. Civil works by jv of Soares da Costa, Impregilo and Soconstroi. Consultant: Geoconsult E-mail office@gcs.co.at contact F L Jansky. February 1999.

Arge Transmetro will use 8.71 m-diameter Herrenknecht EPB for 5.7 km twin-track extension in mixed loose and solid hard rock comprising 50% to 90% granite, commencing early-2000. Visit www.herrenknecht.com April 2000.

Second Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine ordered by Metro do Porto to link the Salgueiros and Trindade stations under assembly for tunnelling start at summer 2002. Visit www.herrenknecht.com 45/01.

Mott MacDonald and Geodata of Italy have been appointed by Transmetro, a jv of Soares da Costa, Somague and Impregilo, to provide detailed design and construction supervision for all the tunnelling works, which comprise 7 km of bored tunnels lined with reinforced concrete segments for Lines C (2.3 km), S (4 km) and J (700 m). The team will also review and coordinate the design of the civil works with the mechanical, electrical and systems contractors to ensure compatibility and compliance of the works with international best practice. To cope with the varying ground conditions, ranging from massive fresh granite to decomposed and often loose weathered material, two Herrenknecht EPB tunnel boring machines of 8.7 m and 9 m-diameter will be used. Visit www.metro-porto.pt, www.mottmac.com, www.geodata.it or www.herrenknecht.com 09/02.

Open call for tenders, deadline 21st January, 2008 for construction of the Estádio do Dragão-Venda Nova section of the Gondomar line, including a 980 m tunnel. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=252962-2007, OJ S 208, or contact Metro do Porto, Porto, fax +361 225081001. E-mail geral@metro-porto.pt 44/07.

The deadline for submission of tenders for construction of the Estádio do Dragão-Venda Nova section of the Gondomar line, including a 980 m tunnel, has been extended to 4th March, 2008. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=305459-2007, OJ S 250, or contact Metro do Porto, Porto, fax +361 225081001. E-mail geral@metro-porto.pt 02/08.

The eight candidates to construct the 6.5 km Estádio do Dragão-Venda Nova section of the Gondomar line, including a 980 m tunnel, are Mota-Engil, Somague, Soares da Costa, Monte Adriano and Efacec; Lena, Abrantina and Bento Pedroso; Conduril and Tecnovia; Isolux Corsán-Corviam, DTS (Domingos da Silva Teixeira) and Alexandre Barbosa Borges (ABB); Teixeira Duarte, OFM and Thales; Ramalho Rosa, FDO, Gabriel Couto and FCC; Zagope, Hagen and Siemens; and Edifer and Opway. Construction will take 21 months for opening in end 2010 or early 2011. 13/08.

3.2 km three-lane motorway tunnel to be constructed using 14.2 m-diameter Herrenknecht Mixshield from recently-completed fourth Elbe tunnel in Germany. More from www.herrenknecht.com March 2000.

Ceresola has stripped and refurbished the Elbetunnel concrete segment production line and installed it for Transstroy Corporation at its Leforto motorway site. Rings of 13.75 m o.d. erected by Herrenknecht EPB will comprise 8+1 segments of thickness 700 mm, length 2 m, and with maximum weight 18t. Visit www.ceresola.com and www.herrenknecht.com Sept 2000.

Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Russian contractor Transstroy report the breakthrough of the Lefortovo road tunnel in Moscow on 18th February, 2003. The 2,222 m-long tunnel is part of the third orbital peripheral road, east of Moscow, some 4 km from the Kremlin. The JV used a 14.2 m-diameter mixshield TBM, built by Herrenknecht (machine S-164), to drill through fine to coarse sands, clay, and limestone. This is the biggest TBM ever used in urban area. Moscow's famous Military School and river Jausa have been underpassed without settlements. Tunnelling started in November 2001 and lasted 60 weeks with best speed of 32 segmental rings (64 m) in a week. The project will be completed in September. Visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.vinci.com. 09/03.

Riyadh - sa/11
Pipelines
Herrenknecht announced that it has delivered a total of six complete microtunnelling systems for constructing oil and gas pipelines in Riyadh, Damman and East Saudian. Contact through www.herrenknecht.com April 2000.

Concept is to use link sewers to intercept flows from existing gravity sewers upstream of the existing pumping stations and channel them by gravity through deep tunnels to centralised STWs at the south coast and thence to discharge via deep sea outfalls. With up to 45 m water pressure, tunnels will be driven by EPB or slurry TBM with sealed, bolted, grouted precast concrete segmental lining. Final lining will be cast-in-place concrete with corrosion-resistant membrane.

North tunnel from Changi East to Kranji comprises five contracts. T-01 is for 5.9 km of 6.0 m i.d. tunnel with 5 shafts; T-02 is for 7.7 km of 6.0 m with 7 shafts and an odour control facility (OCF); T-03 for 5.2 km of 6.0 m with 10 shafts, 3 ODFs, and a 250 m lateral connector; T-04 is for 7.2 km of 4.3 m i.d. with 9 shafts, 2 ODFs, and an 800 m lateral connector; T-05 is for 12.5 km of 3.6 m i.d. with 11 shafts and one ODF. Eastern two-thirds of the North tunnel is in Old Alluvium, a competent tunnelling medium. Western one-third in granite.

Spur tunnel T-06 connecting Tanglin and Holland Road areas comprises 9.7 km of 3.3 m i.d. tunnel with 8 shafts. Alignment is in fractured sedimentary rock, dense soil and faulted ground requiring shielded TBM with hard and soft rock capability.

Tendering process complete and award imminent. Visit www.gov.sg/gitis/ for full information about tendering contractors and amounts. October 1999.

Design and construct contract for T-02 Bedok tunnel awarded to Penta-Ocean Construction Co. Ltd value S$75.6 bn plus Y1.3 trillion. Design and construct contract for T-05 Kranji tunnel awarded to jv of Philipp Holzmann/Sembcorp value S$139.5 bn. Visit www.hlzm.de January 2000.

Contract T-04 for the Ang Mo Kio tunnel of the Singapore Deep Tunnel Sewerage System has been awarded to Samsung Corporation of 83 Clemenceau Avenue, #09-01 UE Square, Singapore 239920 in the value of $45 million by the Ministry of the Environment, Sewerage Dept, tel +65 731 9591. Source www.gov.sg/gitis/ March 2000.

Remaining contract awards as follows: T-01, Changi tunnel value $47.4 million to jv of WohHup and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering; T-03 Paya Lebar tunnel value $40.5 million to jv of Kumagai Gumi and Sembcorp; T-05 Kranji tunnel value $83 million to jv of Sembcorp and Philipp Holzmann. All contracts include shafts. Contract for T-06 tunnel between Tanglin and Holland Road awaiting award. Visit www.gov.sg/gitis/ for more information. May 2000.

T-06 contract for 9.6 km x 3.3 m-diameter section between Tanglin and Holland Road value $60 million awarded to Zueblin Queensway who will use two Herrenknecht TBMs for completion May, 2004. On the other five contracts the shafts are under construction at 1.8 m and 3.0 m diameter for access and 10 m to maximum 16 m for working, with depths of 20 - 50 m. First TBM arrives December, 2000 to start early 2001. T-01 will use Herrenknecht TBM; T-02 NKK TBM; T-03 Mitsubishi TBM; T-04 Mitsubishi TBM; and T-05 two Herrenknecht TBMs. Visit www.herrenknecht.com and look out for www.dtss.gov.sg under construction. Sept 2000.

Braddle Road in Singapore is reported as having been lowered by a few centimetres. The event occurred shortly after the drilling of a probe hole. Contractors are working in the vicinity on contract T03 of the deep sewer scheme. Their TBM was awaiting an unsealed launch from the adjacent shaft, when sand and water entered the chamber. Local correspondents have noted the spatial juxtapositioning of the three events. Visit www.lta.gov.sg 19/01.

Invitation to tender, deadline 16th September, 2005 for civil engineering for River Valley Link Sewers Contract 2 of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System. The tender is for the laying of 3 km of reinforced concrete sewer pipes of 1,800 mm and 2,100 mm diameter by pipejacking/microtunnelling method. The contract, when awarded, will have a period of 30 months. Visit www.gebiz.gov.sg, click on Tender Notice and enter PUB000ETT05000138 as ITT No. or contact Public Utilities Board, Singapore, tel. +65 67319567, fax +65 67319699 or e-mail cheng_lay_beng@pub.gov.sg 35/05.

Ministry of Development studying submissions from candidates bidding for 30 km tunnel. These are Bechtel (Spain); jv of Dragados, Tecsa and Nesco; jv of Dumez-GTM, AZVI and Ploder; jv of FCC, ACS, Ferrovial and others; and jv of Hochtief, Lain, Obrascon, Huarte and others. Bids invited by September, 1999. Estimated value Pta 350 billion. March 1999.

Contract awarded March 3rd for twin tunnels with cross passages every 300m. Tunnel in granite and gneiss using four closed face TBMs of either single or double telescopic design. April 2000.

GIF has announced contract awards as follows: lot 1 south tube Madrid side to jv of Necso/Dragados/Tecsa, value $216.6 million; lot 2 north tube Madrid side to jv of OHL/Hochtief/Sacyr/Guinovart/Comsa, value $216.5 million; lot 4 north tube Valladolid side to FCC/ACS-Vías y Construcciones/Ferrovial-Agromán, value $186.8 million. Lot 3 south tube Valladolid side has yet to be awarded. Construction times vary from 49 months to 57 months, and the exact meeting points in each tube have not yet been finalised. Tunnelling should commence in Spring, 2001 using four shielded TBMs erecting concrete segmental lining with i.d. 8.5 m. Visit www.necso.es and www.gif.es June 2000.

Lot 3 for TBM-driven south tube from Valladolid end awarded to consortium of FCC/ACS-Vías y Construcciones/Ferrovial-Agromán value $150 million. Lot 5, value $70 million, for railway construction from portals to Segovia, awarded to Dumez GTM-Azvi. Visit www.gif.es December 2000.

Unity is strength. ACS, Comsa, Dragados, FCC, Ferrovial-Agromán, Hochtief, Necso, OHL, Sacyr, and Tecsa, the ten contractors appointed to drive two 25 km tunnels through granite under the Guadarrama mountain on the high speed railway between Madrid and Valladolid, joined their forces to buy four 8.5 m-diameter TBMs needed for this mammoth job. The coordinated negotiation made it possible to pay Ptas12 billion for the four machines, two Herrenknecht and two Wirth, with a 10% discount, and to cut delivery periods from 19 to 14 months. Both Herrenknecht and Wirth agreed to deliver the TBMs completely mounted, ready for tunnelling. The FCC-Ferrovial-ACS jv will receive two TBMs, one Herrenknecht and one Wirth, to excavate from the northern portals (contracts 3 and 4). The Dragados-Necso-Tecsa jv will use a Wirth TBM to drive the tunnel from one of the south portals (contract 1), while OHL, Sacyr, Comsa and Hochtief will use the second Herrenknecht TBM, from the second south portal (contract 2). The muck will be removed using a conveyor belt. It is expected excavation will start in August, 2002. Engineers estimate the TBMs will bore at an average daily speed of 25 metres or 500 metres a month. Meanwhile, FCC, Ferrovial, and ACS have started the preparatory works from the north portals on the Segovia side. The total cost for both tunnels is €179.6 million. Visit www.herrenknecht.com 50/01.

TBM progress at the Guadarrama tunnels, the greatest civil engineering project ever built in Spain, reached a milestone with a best day of 80 metres. The average daily progress is fourty metres. Benigno Blanco, the infrastructure state secretary, is confident that the 28,377 m-long twin tunnels on the Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid high speed line will be concluded towards the end of 2006 or in early 2007. Tunnelling began in mid-October 2002 in the north drive on the Segovia side. To date, progress has reached 1,800 m on the west tube and 1,500 m on the east tube, both Segovia side. On the south drives (Madrid side), the TBMs drill at the same speed so that about 6 km of tunnel has already been bored out of the 56.7 km. Breakthough is programmed in 30 months. The 9.5 m-diameter tunnels are spaced at a 25 m interval and will be connected by branches every 250 m. Up to 120 tunnellers work in four shifts of six hours. The total investment required is €1.1 billion. Visit www.wirth-europe.com and www.herrenknecht.com 14/03.

Following spectacular success with current phase of expansion in which some 35 km of underground lines with 33 stations and 20 km surface line with 4 stations were constructed and commissioned in a four year span, Pta 128,400 million set aside to finance building of metro line to south of Madrid taking in the suburbs of Alcorcon, Leganes, Getafe, Mostoles and Fuenlabrada. 35.2 km tunnels with 29 stations. Construction will not commence until after July, 1999 elections and will then be completed within four years. February 1999.

Extension of Line 1 for 3.2 km to Vallegas with 3 new stations for 2004 opening likely to be next award at $75 million. August 1999.

Herrenknecht 9.38 m TBM will commence 3.5 km drive on line 8 extension from shaft presently under construction at Mar de Cristal station to terminate at shaft to be constructed alongside M-30 ring road. From here conventional tunnelling will be used. Colombia station at approximately halfway position will form interchange with line 9. Visit www.necso.es and www.ferrovial.es for more details. February 2000.

Herrenknecht 9.38 m-diameter EPB under erection in start shaft at Mar De Cristal in readiness for Line 8 extension drive commencing 21st August. There are currently 37 slurry wall machines at work on this line. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro July 2000.

9.38 m-diameter NFM EPB Adelantada, working for FCC on Line 10 extension, has completed 939 m of tunnel in 31 days to 20th February, 2001. This is claimed as a world record advance for EPBs. Visit www.fcc.es Also, Lovat 7.4 m-diameter EPB on line 10 built 41 x 1.2 m rings, advancing 49 m in 24 h on 20th February, 2001. Visit www.dragados.com and www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro 09/01.

Tunnel linking Mar de Cristal, Colombia and Nuevos Ministerios on Line 8 reported completed by jv Necso-ACS-Ferrovial. Direct connection from Paseo de la Castellana to the Barajas airport to open in March, 2002. 50/01.
Dragados also reported that 7.4 m-diameter Lovat TBM 'Cibeles' has reached Alcorcón on Line 10 extension to Metrosur circle Line 12. Average speed of 19.6 metres a day with record daily speed of 51.6 metres and a highest monthly speed of one kilometre in October, 2001. Cost of €86 million. Construction underway at stations in Casa de Campo, Colonia Jardín, Cuatro Vientos, Alcalde Joaquín Vilumbrales, and Puerta del Sur. Opening at spring, 2003. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro 50/01.

Open call for bids, deadline 3rd September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of a line 1 extension, section Plaza de Castilla-Chamartin interchange. Tender budget: EUR2.2 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=124343-2004, OJ S 144, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. The 1,850 m Plaza de Castilla-Chamartin section includes a single station at a transport interchange. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 17th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 1 extension, section Plaza de Castilla-Chamartin interchange. Tender budget: EUR725,300. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=127434-2004, OJ S 147, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 1st September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of an extension to Lines 1 and 4, section Chamartin interchange-Parque de Santa Maria. Tender budget: EUR2.3 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=123383-2004, OJ S 143, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. The 4.5 km Chamartin-Santa Maria section includes four stations. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 15th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of an extension to Lines 1 and 4, section Chamartin interchange-Parque de Santa Maria. Tender budget: EUR985,000. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=126443-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 1st September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of a line 2 extension to La Elipa. Tender budget: EUR1.8 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=123379-2004, OJ S 143, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. Line 2 will be extended by 1.6 km, with one station. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 15th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 2 extension to La Elipa. Tender budget: EUR415,800. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=126432-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 3rd September,, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of a line 3 extension to Villaverde, section Legazpi-San Cristobal de los Angeles. Tender budget: EUR2.4 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=123378-2004, OJ S 143, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. Line 3 will be lengthened from Legazpi to San Cristobal de los Angeles, which will add 6 km and 6 stations. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 17th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 3 extension to Villaverde, section Legazpi-San Cristobal de los Angeles. Tender budget: EUR1.1 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=126439-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 6th September, 2004 for inspection and work control of a line 5 extension to Alameda de Osuna. Tender budget: EUR2 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=123385-2004, OJ S 143, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. Line 5 extension to Alameda de Osuna will span 2.4 km, with two stations. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 20th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 5 extension to Alameda de Osuna. Tender budget: EUR778,000. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=127441-2004, OJ S 147, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 6th September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of the new Arganzuela station on Line 6. Tender budget: EUR1.9 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=123381-2004, OJ S 143, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. This station is on the circle line 6. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 20th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of the new Arganzuela station on Line 6. Tender budget: EUR283,000. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=126426-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 1st September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of a line 7 extension, section 1 Las Musas-M-40 and section 2 M-40-Coslada. Tender budget: EUR2.3 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=123388-2004, OJ S 143, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. Section Las Musas-M-40 is 1.5 km in length with one station. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 15th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 7 extension, section 1 Las Musas-M-40 and section 2 M-40-Coslada. Tender budget: EUR980,300. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=126445-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 1st September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of a line 7 extension, section 3 Coslada-San Fernando de Henares. Tender budget: EUR2.4 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=124354-2004, OJ S 144, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. Section Coslada-San Fernando totals 4.8 km, with five stations. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 15th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 7 extension, section 3 Coslada-San Fernando de Henares. Tender budget: EUR1 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=126442-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 6th September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of Pinar del Rey station on Line 8. Tender budget: EUR2 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=124350-2004, OJ S 144, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. This is an intermediate station on Line 8 to Barajas. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 20th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of Pinar del Rey station on Line 8. Tender budget: EUR212,200. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=127436-2004, OJ S 147, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 3rd September, 2004 for inspection and work control during construction of a line 11 extension to Carabanchel Alto. Tender budget: EUR2 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=124344-2004, OJ S 144, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 916890069. The extension spans 2 km with two stations. 33-34/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 17th September, 2004 for quality control during construction of a line 11 extension to Carabanchel Alto. Tender budget: EUR552,200. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=es&docid=126437-2004, OJ S 146, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 33-34/04.

Open call for tenders, deadline 6th October, 2004 for construction of a Line 3 extension to Villaverde, section San Cristobal de los Angeles-Villaverde Alto. This is a 2.1 km section. Tender budget: EUR92.5 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=145843-2004, OJ S 169, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880098 or 914880598. 37/04.

Open call for bids, deadline 22nd October, 2004 for quality management during construction of the infrastructure of Line 3, section San Cristobal de los Angeles-Villaverde Alto. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=157392-2004, OJ S 184, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 40/04.
Open call for bids, deadline 21st October 2004 for work inspection and monitoring during construction of the infrastructure of Line 3, section San Cristobal de los Angeles-Villaverde Alto. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=157389-2004, OJ S 184, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 40/04.

L. V. Salamanca Ingenieros won a EUR1.8 million contract for work inspection and monitoring during construction of Avenida de la Aviacion station on Line 10. Euroconsult won the quality management contract for the same station for EUR106,300. Visit www.lvsalamanca-ingenieros.es and www.euroconsult.es 43/04.
Ferrovial Agroman will build Line 1 extension to Ensanche de Vallecas for EUR84.8 million. Visit www.ferrovial.com 43/04.
Work inspection and monitoring for Line 1 extension to Ensanche de Vallecas has been awarded to a JV of Ingenieria Basica de Proyectos and Incoydesa for EUR2.3 million while Geocisa has been awarded the quality management contract for EUR720,500. Visit www.incoydesa.com and www.geocisa.com 43/04.
Begar will build Parque de Europa station on Line 10 for EUR12.2 million. Visit www.begar.es 43/04.

Ferrovial Agroman secured a EUR93.1 million contract for construction of a Line 1 extension, section Plaza de Castilla-Chamartin interchange. Visit www.ferrovial.com 50/04.
Sacyr Vallehermoso clinched a EUR157.5 million deal for construction of extension to Lines 1 and 4, section Chamartin interchange-Parque de Santa Maria. Visit www.gruposyv.com 50/04.
OHL will construct an extension to La Elipa on Line 2, for EUR54.8 million. It is a 1,619 m section for two tracks, featuring a horseshoe-shaped section. The first 400 m will be built in cut-and-cover, 7.3 m wide x 6.22 m high. Then, the Madrid tunnelling method, aka Belgian method, will be used for the next 925 m, 9.2 m wide x 7.52 m high (6.35 m high inner diameter after lining), with timber supports and concrete formwork. Then follows La Elipa station (105 m) and lastly, the final 80 m will also be built using the Madrid method. Geology consisting of coarse ground, sandy clays and clayey sands with fines content. Visit www.ohl.es 50/04.
FCC secured a EUR176.7 million contract for construction of a Line 3 extension to Villaverde, section Legazpi-San Cristobal de los Angeles. The company has also been awarded a EUR87 million contract to build the next stretch, San Cristobal de los Angeles-Villaverde Alto (2.8 km). An EPB shield will be used to drive a 8.43 m-ID tunnel lined with 32 cm-thick concrete segments. Visit www.fcc.es 50/04.
Ferrovial Agroman has pocketed a EUR94.4 million contract for building Line 5 extension to La Alameda de Osuna. Visit www.ferrovial.com 50/04.
Comsa and Ortiz will build the new Arganzuela station on Line 6, for EUR35.1 million. Visit www.comsa.com 50/04.
Sacyr Vallehermoso will build section 1 Las Musas-M-40 on the east extension to Line 7. The contract has a value of EUR70 million. This is a 1.1 km section approximately for two tracks and a cut-and-cover station. Visit www.gruposyv.com 50/04.
ACS Dragados will build the following section on the extension to Line 7, section 2 M-40-Coslada, for EUR50.9 million. It is a twin bored tunnel (2 x 1,986 m, 7.38 m excavated diameter) to be driven with a Lovat TBM owned by Dragados. No station will be built for the moment but only provisions for two future stations, one of them being an interchange hub in the residential area where the 2012 Olympic village will be built if Madrid is chosen as host city. Time frame for construction: 24 months. Visit www.lovat.com and www.grupoacs.com 50/04.
ACS Dragados has also secured section 3 Coslada-San Fernando de Henares on the Line 7 extension, for EUR168.4 million. It is a 3,941 m single bore tunnel, 9.38 m outer diameter, and five stations (three in Coslada and two in San Fernando). A Herrenknecht TBM owned by Dragados will be used. Visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.grupoacs.com 50/04.
Constructora San Jose and Cimsa will build Pinar del Rey station on Line 8, for EUR25.8 million and a time frame of 21 months. Visit www.grupo-sanjose.com 50/04.
ACS Dragados won a EUR66.6 million contract for construction of a Line 11 extension to Carabanchel Alto. It is a 1,286 m single tunnel, 9.38 m OD, to be driven by means of a NFM Technologies TBM owned by Dragados. Visit www.nfm-technologies.com and www.grupoacs.com 50/04.

A EUR90,000 geotechnical investigation contract has been awarded by Mintra to Intecsa-Inarsa for core drills in the subsoil, which will study the route of a Line 11 extension from Carabanchel Alto to La Fortuna in Leganes. Technically, the route will start with a 215 m cut-and-cover tunnel in Madrid. Then, a TBM will drive a 3.1 km double-track tunnel until the Leganes district. From that point, the tunnel divides in two single-track branches: one towards the metro station in the area and the other to the rolling stock depot. Visit www.intecsa-inarsa.es 09/05.

Notice of public works concession, deadline 27th March, 2006 for concession contract for the construction and operation of the Line 8 extension from Barajas to the new Madrid airport terminal T-4, inaugurated on 4th February, 2006. Extending Line 8 will require to construct a 2.5 km twin tunnel from the old to the new terminals. The underground station at the new terminal is practically built since it was planned in the project of the new terminal building at Barajas. The two tunnels have to be bored and the internal finishings of the station are pending. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=026272-2006, OJ S 24, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. E-mail maite.martin@mintramadrid.es 07/06.

The Madrid regional government has awarded to a JV between FCC and bank Caja Madrid the 20-year concession contract to build and operate the extension to Madrid Barajas airport's terminal T-4, for an amount nearing EUR45 million. Visit www.fcc.es
The project consists in extending Line 8, which currently serves terminal T-2, from the terminus station at Barajas Pueblo. The 2.5 km-long twin bored section will predominantly be built using a TBM. FCC will use one of the two TBMs employed to excavate the Line 3 extension to Villaverde. Work starts immediately and the line will be operational at the end of the first semester of 2007. 19/06.

Open call for tenders, deadline 8th February, 2007 for extension of Line 11 to La Fortuna. The 3,372 m-long section starts in PAU de Carabanchel to reach La Fortuna. The end of the line will be connected to the Cuatro Vientos rolling stock depot on Line 10, which is only 500 m distant. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=260749-2006, OJ S 243, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 01-02/07.

Open call for tenders, deadline 8th August, 2007 for design of the Line 2 extension to Las Rosas. Read E-News Weekly 29/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=155819-2007, OJ S 127, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 31/07.
Open call for tenders, deadline 8th August, 2007 for design of the Line 3 extension to El Casar. Read E-News Weekly 29/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=155818-2007, OJ S 127, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 31/07.
Open call for tenders, deadline 8th August, 2007 for design of the Line 9 extension to Mirasierra. Read E-News Weekly 29/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=155808-2007, OJ S 127, or contact Mintra, Alcorcon, fax +34 914880598. 31/07.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 19th May, 2008 for design of a new metro line from Chamartin to Torrejon de Ardoz (infrastructure and fit-out). The new line, 7.5 km in length, includes three stations (Avenida de la Constitución, Londres and Soto del Henares) and will run below ground through the industrial parks of San Fernando de Henares and in Torrejon de Ardoz. The line will start from San Fernando de Henares near the M-45 then heading north to Torrejon de Ardoz and Soto del Henares. It then emerges to the surface near the M-50 and connects with the Madrid-Barcelona rail line and ends at Chamartin station, providing interchange with lines 1 and 10. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=100497-2008, OJ S 74, or contact Mintra, Madrid, fax +34 914880598. 17/08.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 11th August, 2008 for construction of a 4.75 km extension from La Elipa to Las Rosas on Line 2, with four stations. The section will be built by TBM. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=157271-2008, OJ S 118, or contact Mintra, Madrid, fax +34 914880598. E-mail maite.martin@mintramadrid.es 26/08.

A 9.4 m-diameter NFM Technologies EPB tunnel boring machine was officially launched on 10th June, 2008 by officials, as part of the 2007-2010 transport expansion programme, to bore the 3.4 km extension of Line 11 from La Peseta to La Fortuna in Leganes. The machine was last used to build a previous extension of Line 11 from Pan Bendito to La Peseta in Carabanchel. Previously, it completed the Atocha-Nuevos Ministerios section of the newly opened cross-city railway tunnel connecting Atocha and Chamartin central stations in Madrid, sections of the Metrosur Line 12 and a Line 2 extension. Click here. The construction contract has been awarded to Dragados. Of the 3,400 metres in tunnel, 25 metres to connect with La Peseta will be mined manually using Madrid's traditional method. Visit www.nfm-technologies.com and www.dragados.com 32-33/08.

39 km-long, 26 station elliptical underground metro line joining five cities to the southwest of Madrid: Alcorcon, Leganes, Getafe, Fuenlabrada, and Mostoles. Additional nine interchange stations with RENFE, the national railway system. Two other cities, Parla and Pinto will be connected into the new metro by commuter trains from Cercanias, increasing the total population served to 1.2 million. Metrosur will connect to Madrid Metro along an 8 km extension to Line 10. Overall total of 47 km twin-track tunnel could utilise the four large EPB TBMs and another two of smaller diameter released from recently completed extensions to Madrid Metro. At least one large-diameter EPB will have to be purchased to meet demanding schedule. Design commenced 14^th July, 1999 for works to start February, 2000 with a view to commissioning the entire network for Christmas, 2002. August 1999.

Final design contracts completed for 14 contracts concerning 40 km of Metro Sur ring and ready for bid in total value $920 million. Contact through www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro December 1999.

!2 sections of Metrosur ring divided into six contracts for allocation end-February, 2000 with a view to commencing civil works in March. The entire ring is now 40.5 km long and will be single twin-track tunnel throughout, constructed mainly by 9.3 m-diameter EPB TBM. Contract 3 comprises a 4 km-long section, 11 m-deep to invert, in open countryside west of Fuenlabrada which could be constructed by cut-and-cover using diaphragm walls. Contract 5 beneath the south-easterly town of Getafe will require a fifth 9.3 m-diameter TBM equipped for harder rock than the existing machines. Only the 8 km-long line 10 extension with four stations will be in twin tunnels. January 2000.

The six main contract awards totalling $932 million for 40.857 route km of tunnels and 27 stations on the Madrid Metrosur ring were announced on Thursday 6th April as follows: contract 1 comprising sections 1, 12 and 11 total length 9.562 km with 5 stations awarded to ACS-VIAS value $225 million, period 30 months; contract 2 comprising sections 2 and 3 total length 7.303 km with 5 stations awarded to FFC value $160 million, period 30 months; contract 3 section 4 IIIB length 0.407 km with one station awarded to Sacyr value $13.6 million, period 15 months, section 4A length 1.226 km awarded to Sacyr value $8.16 million, period 15 months, and section 4B length 1.462 km with one station awarded to OHL value $39 million, period 20 months; contract 4 comprising sections 5 and 6 total length 6.515 km with 4 stations awarded to Necso value $150.6 million, period 30 months; contract 5 comprising sections 7, 8 and 9 length 7.316 km with 6 stations awarded to Ferrovial value $160 million, period 30 months; contract 6 comprising section 10 length 7.066 km with 5 stations awarded to DYC value $176 million, period 29 months. More information will be posted later at www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro April 2000.

Open tendering for 8 km-long line 10 extension from Batan in south-west Madrid to Alcorcon, one of the five towns to be linked by the Metrosur circle line. The first section from Batan to Campamento will be undertaken using the traditional Madrid Method of excavation; the second section from Campamento to Quattro Vientos will utilise the Mitsubishi NFM TBM M-1 which has been refurbished following completion of the recent extensions to Madrid Metro; from Quattro Vientos to the Metrosur connection at Alcorcon twin-tube tunnels will be driven using the smaller Lovat and Herrenknecht machines that were used on the Campo de las Naciones to Mar de Cristal section of Line 8. Projected cost/metre of Metrosur is $36.5 million, so it can be deduced that the line 10 extension is worth around $300 million.

Deadline for bids is 28th April. Details at www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro Open tendering for site supervision, and control and inspection, of the Metrosur construction packages is running in parallel on a different deadline of 17th April. April 2000.

Shafts are nearly completed and first EPBs will start tunnelling 25th September. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro July 2000.

New Herrenknecht 9.38 m-diameter EPB under erection in start pit to drive towards Getafe on contract 5 while refurbished NFM EPB ex Madrid Metro is made ready to drive from a separate pit in the opposite direction towards Leganes for contract 6. Herrenknecht ex line 8 metro extension is being assembled in start pit at Leganes for contract 1 launch October 15th. Second refurbished NFM will commence erection at Mostoles in two weeks time for contract 2. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro Sept 2000.

Four 9.38 m-diameter TBMs now underway on 40.5 km-long single-tube project, with NFM EPB owned by Dragados making 738 m in first 38 days to 12th November, placing 492 x 1.5 m rings. Best day 24 rings on 29th October. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro and www.dragados.es November 2000.

9.38 m-diameter NFM TBMs Chata, Dragados, and Alvaro completed 2 km in 100 calendar days to 20th February, 2001, while the new Herrenknecht 9.38 m-diameter TBM reached Espartales station, Getafe, at a rate of 18-19 rings/day. Visit NFM company profile and www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro 10/01.

Comunidad de Madrid reports 20 km of EPB tunnels complete, together with seven cut and cover sections and 600,000 sq m of diaphragm walls in just nine months. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro 31/01.

Contract award of €2.2 million to Vías y Construcciones and Electren for ventilation equipment on the Leganés-Móstoles section of Metrosur. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro 43/01.

Comunidad de Madrid reports 31 km of EPB tunnel completed in 380 days, with 8 km to go. TBM Adelantada is crossing its last station in Móstoles for FCC, having recorded 1,020 m advance in 31 days. TBM Mares del Sur is crossing the interchange in Getafe for Ferrovial-Agromán, with two stations to go. TBM La Chata completed its record-breaking 6 km run for Dragados beneath Leganes on 21st September, 2001. TBM Almudena is crossing its final station, while La Paloma is crossing its first station in Fuenlabrada for Necso. Lovat Cibeles has only 700 m to complete on its twin-tube drives at Line 10 extension. To read pdf files of Metrosur - Commuting in the 21st Century, click here. Visit www.comadrid.es/cmadrid/metro, www.metromadrid.es and www.ctm-madrid.es 45/01.

Tenders invited, deadline 21st January, 2002 for lifts and escalators on the Parque Europa-Arroyo Culebro, San Nicasio-Parque Oeste, and El carrascal-Leganés Central sections of the Metrosur line. Values of €9.8 million, €9 million, and €13 million. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int, documents S 231-159197, 159198, and 159199 or contact Madrid Infraestructuras del Transporte, fax +34 914111724. Contract awards for the Móstoles 1-Móstoles 5 section, value €8.7 million, to Macosa Elevación, and for the Fuenlabrada 1-Fuenlabrada 2 section, value €4.2 million, to Schindler. To read pdf files of Metrosur - Commuting in the 21st Century, click here. Visit www.metropla.net/eu/mad/metrosur.htm 50/01.

Tenders invited, deadline 28th January, 2002 for ventilation equipment in the stations on the Getafe 7-Getafe 2 section of the Metrosur line. Value of €1.9 million. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int, document S 237-163487 or contact Madrid Infraestructuras del Transporte, fax +34 914111724. 52/01.

Tenders invited to install anti-fire systems, value of €1.2 million, and ventilation systems, value €2 million, in the stations on the Getafe 2-Fuenlabrada 2 section of the Metrosur line. Deadline 7th February, 2002. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int, documents S 246-169700 and S 246-169701 or fax +34 914111724, Madrid, Madrid Infraestructuras del Transporte. To read pdf files of Metrosur - Commuting in the 21st Century, click here. 02/02.

To be driven in opposite directions from two shafts by 12.3 m-diameter Herrenknecht TBMs: one a hard rock,

the other a dual-mode Mixshield slurry machine. First machine launched at Allmend Brunau shaft towards Thalwil, Sept 1998. 9.4 km long to connect with proposed Gotthard AlpTransit tunnel at Nidelbad. Contracting jv of Prader, Locher, Wayss & Freytag. Nov 1998.

Two TBMs now at work, with 12.29 m-diameter south drive machine 3 km into its 5.6 km drive having recorded a best day of 39.1 m or 23 rings while completing 673.2 m of tunnel in June, 1999. First 330 m of north drive being undertaken by second TBM in rock mode using disc cutters and conveyor belt. Following 150 m will be in slurry mode using hydraulic spoil pipelines to surface separation plant. Machine will then complete the bulk of the 2.7 km drive in rock mode in molasse. The final 700 m will be in soft mixed ground with extra drag picks on the cutterhead. Lining comprises seven bolted segments and key, 12.04 m outside diameter and 11.44 m internal diameter. Aliva pumps are used at both TBMs to pump pea gravel into the annulus. Segments are transported by converted Kiruna trucks. There are vehicle turntables behind each TBM. Zimmerberg will connect with AlpTransit Gotthard in a continuous tunnel, possibly using the same machines. Sept 1999.

South section TBM driving 5.6 km from Allmend Brunau to Nidelbad in typical Sweetwater molasse has passed the halfway point and completed 673.2 m in June, 1999 with a best day of 39.1 m or 23 rings. Conveyor capacity is 1,100 t/h using 1 m-wide belt at 2.2 m/sec. Major constraint is the rate at which spoil can be removed from site because only 13 trains/day can be handled. However, 100,000 t surface stockpile will smooth rockflow. First 330 m of 2.7 km north drive was in hard rock, then TBM was converted to slurry mode for 150 m following which it will revert to hardrock configuration. Visit www.herrenknecht.com November 1999.

Rail 2000 Thalwil junction and 900m/1,300m branch tunnels completed using drill/blast to connect with advancing cut and cover. TBM face in main tunnel left ready for AlpTransit drive to Nidelbad when finances are available. Herrenknecht TBMs completed drives in both directions from Allmend Brunau shafts and removed for storage. 27/02.

North tube breakthrough by Herrenknecht 11.7 m-diameter TBM achieved May, 1999 by contractors GTG, a jv of Marti, CSC, Comina and Pierre Freiburghaus. TBM dismantled and taken back to start for south tube to complete by October, 2000. Maximum daily advance 21.6 m with average of 13 m. Steelcord muck conveyor from TBM to portal with 400 m cassette. Korfmann fans and Grindex Matador pumps. Segment prefabrication at site produces six 1.8 m rings/day using forms supplied by Bernold and CBE. 28 cm-thick ring comprises 5 x 9 t segments plus key. Sept 1999.

Switzerland

Lotschberg - ch/18

AlpTransit Railway

Located at Goppenstein, 4.1 km Ferden access adit to be driven through gneisses and schists in the Aare massif. Also Fystertella ventilation tunnel 1.735 km and 365 m shaft to be raise bored at 1.8 m and enlarged to 5 m. This will connect via a ventilation chamber to the twin main tunnels. May 1998.

Tenders invited for 9.4 m-diameter single-track tunnel to be driven in three lengths from Mitholz near Frutigen at north end using TBM or drill/blast. Also TBM drives at south end for 3,073 m Steg tunnel, 4,100 m west bore to Ferden and 2,000 m to Raron. February 1999.

Awards expected in August and October, 1999. May 1999.

Contract awarded to jv of Skanska, Rothpletz & Lienhard, Walo Bertschinger and Ilbau for 2 x 7.5 km-long Mittholz central section to commence March, 2000. November 1999.

Steg 3.073 km access tunnel, 4.117 km TBM drive at 9.4 m-diameter, and 2 km-long drill/blast section awarded to Matrans jv comprising Marti, Walter, Porr and Balfour Beatty in equal quarters. Value $160 million. Mitholz jv reported earlier is actually led by Ilbau, and includes Dumez-GTM together with the three other partners already listed. Contract due to be signed February, 2000 at a value reported as $315 million. November 1999.

Open tendering, deadline 4th September, 2000, for construction of 8.5 km of 62 - 78 sq m running tunnels accessed from the base of the developing Ferden adit. The office handling this project is BLS AlpTransit AG, Aarestrasse 38 B, Postfach 3601 Thun, Switzerland, e-mail info@blsat.ch or visit www.alptransit.ch May 2000.

Construction of 1.5 km drill/blast and 9.2 km of 9.4 m-diameter Raron TBM tunnel awarded to Matrans consortium of Marti, Walter, Porr and Balfour Beatty.Visit www.balfourbeatty.com May 2000.

Balfour Beatty, reports that contract value of Raron twin 10.7 km tunnels with optional 1 km extensions is $150 million. Client is BLS AlpTransit AG, a subsidiary of SBB Swiss Railways. Visit www.balfourbeatty.com July 2000.

DBT Mineral Processing GmbH reports that it is supplying three crawler-mounted mobile impact roller type SB 1315R crusher plants to process the 1.8 million cu m of solid rock to be excavated in the two 9.5 km south tunnels and the single 7.4 km north tunnel. The crushers will be fed by side-dump loaders at the face and moved up after every blast. Crushed rock of -200 mm sizing will be discharged onto a telescopic belt conveyor installed in the roof of the tunnel. Visit www.dbtminpro.de July 2000.

Three Atlas Copco Rocket Boomer XL3 C and two L2 C computerised drillrigs to be delivered to Schweizer Alp Transit Consortium (Satco) for driving main running tunnels north and south from base of Mitholz access adit. Visit www.atlascopco.com July 2000.

Award to consortium of Losinger, Prader, Bouyges, Deneriaz, Evequoz, Imboden and Theler of $65 million construction contract for 12 km of tunnel off four faces at Ferden access towards Bern and Valais, starting May, 2001 and completing late-2005. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 15/01.

Award of $170 million drill/blast contract for 7.1 km-long, 9 m-diameter twin-tube section of Lotschberg base tunnel to Bouygues for completion early-2005. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 28/01.

BLS AlpTransit reports that 66 km, or 75% of the total tunnel system, has been driven, mainly by drill/blast using Atlas Copco drillrigs. The Adelrain fork cavern has been excavated on the drive N from Mitholz, and the west tube is now underway with 600 m to go to Frutigen portal. The 9.7 km Mitholz drives S are 67% complete, and the Ferden drives N are around 30 %, while Ferden drives S are virtually finished. At the Raron end, the Herrenknecht TBM drives N are well advanced, with the west tube complete, and the 9.7 km east tube 65% complete. The 4.5 km drill/blast west tube portal drive is 76 % complete. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 13/03.

As of 1st April, 2003, progress at the Lötschberg base tunnel reached 67,493 metres which represents 76.6% of the whole tunnel system. In Frutigen, the first 120 m of the west tube have been excavated. Delicate work is presently under way to drive the east tube under the embankment supporting the existing BLS line.
Heading north from Mitholz, there is only 200 m to go before the junction with the Frutigen west tube. Breakthrough is scheduled for mid-May. Heading south, the tricky karstic area in Doldenhorn, 2.7 km in length, has been crossed without too much trouble. The teams are now gearing up towards the last risky geological area at the Lötschberg with two difficult stretches composed of crumbly materials. More than 2.3 km of internal concrete lining has already been installed in the east tube. The spoil management facilities have processed so far 472,000 tonnes of concrete aggregates.
In Ferden, the southbound east tube has been completed on 2nd April and teams are now concentrating on the north drives. The internal concrete lining (invert and side walls) is being installed. The Steg/Niedergesteln teams are drilling the cross galleries between the west and east tubes. The concrete lining works are due to begin this month heading for Rarogne. The Ferden-bound Herrenknecht TBM, which started in Rarogne, reached km 6.5 while in the west bore, miners have only 1 km to go. Breakthrough is expected for the summer. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 16/03.

Consortium SATCO tunnelling from Mitholz encountered the Vorlos tunnelling team working from Frutigen on 14th May, 2003. This second breakthrough at the Lötschberg base tunnel took exactly 1,000 calendar days. The tunnel includes a 7,492 m drive, 22 transverse tunnels, a service station and a crossover cavern. The majority of the work (7,024 m) was performed from Mitholz by SATCO using the drill/blast method. Tunnellers working from the north portal in Frutigen drove the first 120 metres of base tunnel in difficult conditions in unconsolidated rock and just 5 m below the BLS rail line which remained in operation while work was in progress. 80% of the total tunnel system has now been driven. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch. 22/03.

By end-January, 2004 Satco had excavated almost 23 km of tunnel. They were awarded a further bonus kilometre towards Ferden in the south, and a contract to mine an 800 m-long parallel link close to the Frutigen portal in the north. As a result, Satco will excavate 26 km of tunnel by mid-2004. Meanwhile, concrete lining is underway in the east tube, with 300 m completed in the north drive, and more than 5 km in the south. More from wolfgang.lehner@satco.ch or visit www.blsalptransit.ch 08/04.

Switzerland
Gotthard Base - ch/19
Amsteg Section
This adit will be 1.784 km long x 60 sq m at 1% downgrade to the Alptransit tunnel horizon where a further 200 m of preparatory work will be required to open out the four running tunnel faces. Ed Ast is undertaking the main development using an Atlas Copco 353E drillrig under moderate blasting restrictions achieving 12-16 m/day advance in Aar Massiv and Erstfeld gneiss. A full face comprises 105-110 holes of depth 3-4 m which are primed with Dyno experimental aluminised slurry using a pump and Nonel detonators. Swellex rockbolts with Dramix steel fibre reinforced shotcrete to support roof and walls. Rock flowed through Pegson crusher located 150 m inside portal and by conveyor to surface and dumps. Ast will complete end-November. Prequalification late-May for 11.4 km main tunnels, but method still under discussion. Elsewhere on the Gotthard base tunnel, the alignment of the section from Uri to the portal is still undecided. Contact info@alptransit.ch for further information. May 2000.

Open invitation to tender for lot 252 running tunnels 2 x 11.4 km long to be constructed from base of 1.78 km-long adit currently under drill/blast excavation by Ast-Holzmann using underground crusher with conveyor system to surface for removal of spoil by rail. Cross-passages 40 m-long at 320 m intervals between main tunnels. Deadline 22nd January, 2001. Contact Lucerne office, fax +41 412 260600, e-mail info@alptransit.ch or visit www.alptransit.ch July 2000.

Lot 252 for 2 x 11.4 km-long running tunnels towards Sedrun awarded to Strabag/Murer jv using Herrenknecht TBMs. 1.88 km-long x 3.5 m-diameter TBM drive for cable tunnel underway between new transformer cavern and existing Amsteg power station. 27/02.

Herrenknecht has completed the assembly of the first Gripper TBM, machine S-229, for the Gotthard base tunnel north. The 9.58 m-diameter TBM will excavate the eastern tube (11,350 m) of the Gotthard base tunnel between Amsteg and Sedrun. Assembly at the jobsite in Canton Uri will start in mid-March 2003. AGN, the JV consisting of Murer and Strabag, ordered two Herrenknecht hard rock TBMs for this section in February 2002. The second TBM will drive the western tube (11,350 m).
Both machines weigh 1,200 tonnes each without the backup system.
Representatives of AGN took delivery of the machine on 16th January in the presence of AlpTransit Gotthard AG. The machine is now being disassembled to be transported to Switzerland where pre-assembly is scheduled from March at the tunnel portal prior to full assembly in the start cavern. Excavation will start end of May. The second machine (S-230) will start three months later on the western tube.
Herrenknecht has its own subsidiary in Amsteg, in close proximity to AGN's jobsite. The Swiss affiliate works in close cooperation with cutting tool supplier RUAG in Altdorf to achieve the best efficiency on AlpTransit projects, both at the Gotthard and Lötschberg.
Four Herrenknecht Gripper TBMs will be in operation at the Gotthard base tunnel, the longest railroad tunnel worldwide with a total length of 2 x 57 km, to excavate a total of 75 km of tunnel. Visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.alptransit.ch 06/03.

Invitation to tender for first 1.2 km of 16.5 km section of proposed 56.7 km AlpTransit. August 1999.

Invitation to tender for construction of two access tunnels in soft ground, lengths 410 m and 420 m. Sept 1999.

Open invitation to tender for lot 554 of Gotthard AlpTransit project involving construction of two running tunnels between Bodio access drift and Faido multi-functional station, deadline 7th December, 2000. Contact Lucerne office, fax +41 917 439737. Visit www.alptransit.ch July 2000.

Award of Faido-Bodio tunnel section to consortium of Zchokke-Locher, Hochtief, CSC and Mayreder. Visit www.alptransit.ch 27/01.

Atlas Copco announced an order for five drill rigs placed by Consorzio TAT (Tunnel AlpTransit), including Zschokke Locher, Alpine Mayreder Bau, Hochtief, CSC, and Impregilo to construct the 16.6 km Bodio and 15.1 km Faido sections of the Gotthard base tunnel. Excavation to start in spring 2002. Atlas Copco will deliver the first part of the order during the first quarter. Visit www.atlascopco.com/rde and www.boomer-rig.com 52/01.

First 380 m from Bodio portal under construction in cut and cover. 1.2 km-long bypass tunnel to main tunnel alignment completed, together with 1.4 km of east tube and 400 m of west tube to provide launch chambers for two 8.83 m-diameter Herrenknecht TBMs which will start in late-2002 on remaining 15 km-long drives to Faido. 27/02.

Difficult ground conditions in Faido-Polmengo are slowing down the Gotthard base tunnel. Progress is reaching only one metre a day instead of the planned 10 metres, or 30 metres a month instead of 300. A few weeks ago, on the site of the Faido multi-functional station, tunnellers encountered a tricky gneissic area consisting of Leventine gneiss and Lukmanier gneiss. The rock yields under the pressure of the 1,400 m mountain cover above, literally transforming the rock into sand. Special support measures have been adopted to install centimetre after centimetre a kind of steel corset at the tunnel crown. The AlpTransit management reckons that a reliable estimate of the cost overruns and delay will not be possible until the summer. To date, progress at Bodio has reached 14% on the east tube and 9% on the west tube. 15/03.

Open tender, deadline 12^th November, 1999 for construction of 2.5 km tunnel on N4 highway. Fax +41 418752610. Sept 1999.

Contract awarded to joint venture of Zschokke/Locher/Murer/CSC/Rothpletz & Reinhard who will utilise Robbins Herrenknecht TBM ex Bozberg and Murgenthal. Segmentally lined, single tube for bi-directional traffic will commence boring Summer, 2000. TBM has been cleaned and overhauled and is stored near Murgenthal ready for reassembly at site. Visit www.murer.ch April 2000.

Award of 3 km-long tunnel to be constructed by TBM by consortium of Zschokke-Locher/Prader/Murer/CSC/Wayss & Freytag. Visit www.wayss-freytag.de March 2000.

Preconstruction work underway of $60 million, 3.161 km-long x 10.85 m-diameter single tube in molasse and moraine while awaiting delivery of Herrenknecht TBM ex-Thalwil scheduled March, 2001. Completion 2002 for opening of 45 km-long Mattstetten-Rotthrist section end-2004. Visit www.wayssfreytag.de and www.herrenknecht.de December 2000.

The 3,160 m-long Oenzberg tunnel has been holed through on 14th February, 2003 on the Mattstetten-Rothrist section of the Bern-Olten high speed railway in Switzerland. The contracting JV formed by Zschokke-Locher, Prader, Murer, CSC and Wayss & Freytag used a Herrenknecht mixshield TBM equipped with a 12.36 m-diameter cutting head. Tunnelling lasted 17 months. Visit www.herrenknecht.com. Read E-News Weekly # 52. 09/03.

Switzerland
Tscharner - ch/33
Material Transport
Herrenknecht 9.53 m-diameter TBM equipped with two rockbolting drills ordered by Marti AG for 2.5 km drive at Vigier cement plant commencing in Spring, 2000. Details from www.herrenknecht.com April 2000.

Switzerland
Sörenberg - ch/35
Gas pipeline
Joint venture of Ilbau, Cogeis and Scheifele taking delivery of 4.5 m-diameter Herrenknecht shielded hardrock TBM for 5.2 km gas pipeline tunnel through marl and disturbed sandstones, siltstones and mudstones erecting six-piece 3.8 m i.d. dowelled and gasketed precast concrete segmental lining in rings 1.5 m-wide and 250 cm thick. Possibility of gas in sedimentary deposits. Boring to commence July on 15-month schedule. Visit www.herrenknecht.com May 2000.

5.3 km extension of gas pipeline between Belgium and Italy in Canton Lucerne awarded to jv with Ilbau as technical leader, value $30 million. Rockmore will supply drilling consumables from its Austrian plant. Visit www.strabag.at and www.rockmore-intl.com October 2000.

Consortium of Strabag, Cogeis, Specogna and Scheifele using 4.56 m-diameter Herrenknecht hardrock TBM with trunk conveyor belt on 5.2 km segmentally-lined tube at 5 % gradient in Sörenberg mélange, flysch and globigerina marl. TBM, which has automatic power cut-off if gas is detected, launched August, 2000 on ten month run. 2.2 km completed by end-November. Best week 200 m; best day 38 m in 18 h. Unique compact 26 m-high belt storage tower with 300 m capacity. Visit www.strabag.at and www.herrenknecht.de 02/01.

4.56 m-diameter Herrenknecht hardrock TBM averaging 18 m/day working 24/7 with 18 h/day operating, peaking at 36 m/day. Around 4 km of 5.2 km drive completed, all at 5% upgrade. Up to 150 m/week being maintained in Sorenberg melange. Lining with rings of six tapered, gasketed segments 1.5 m wide and 250 mm thick, with internal diameter 3.8 m. TBM ahead of schedule, with completion expected May, 2001. Visit www.strabag.com and www.herrenknecht.com 14/01.

Bangkok Transit System received first $87 million to commence construction of 23.7 km Green Line. North and south sections of Blue Line scheduled for completion 2003. NATM consultant: Geoconsult E-mail office@gcs.co.at contact F L Jansky. Nov 1998.

$650 million 10 km-long twin-tube 5.7 m-diameter south section with nine stations under construction by jv of Bilfinger & Berger, Ch Karnchang, Kumagai Gumi and Tokyu Construction and will use two Herrenknecht EPBs ex-Taipei and two new Kawasaki machines. The Herrenknechts will start in July 1999 from Queen Sirikit station and will bore 4.8 km to Hua Lamphong station by mid-2001. The Kawasaki machines will start from the Rama IX station and drive 3.4 km to Queen Sirikit. Precast segmental concrete lining comprising 1.2 m-wide rings of five segments and key with hydrophilic gaskets. Rates of 15 m/machine/24h day are expected in the homogeneous, low-abrasive, boulderless clay. Principal design engineer Maunsell Asia. $770 million 10 km-long north section of similar dimensions with another nine stations under construction by ION jv comprising Italian-Thai, Obayashi and Nishimatsu using four dual-mode open/EPB machines from Kawasaki. Two machines launched from Ratchada station box early-1999 and two from Thiam Ruam Mit station box in April, 1999. Diaphragm walling and core excavation of station boxes is well underway along the route and will be completed ahead of each TBM arrival. Main consultant Ove Arup, sub-consultant for tunnels Geoconsult. Handover scheduled for 2002. June 1999.

First TBMs commissioned for 11 km Bangsue-Lat Phrao-Depot northern section of planned 20.5 km MRTA Blue Line by ION joint venture under $1 billion contract. 9 km of 6 m-diameter twin-bore tunnels and 9 stations designed by Arup Transport. ION comprises Italian Thai, Obayashi and Nishimatsu. Planned southern section of line will extend via Bon Kai to Hua Lum Pong station. August 1999.

Bilfinger & Berger reports completion of 190,000 sq m of diaphragm walls up to 1.2 m-thick for the stations using special equipment in restricted working heights. Foundation levels of stations up to 46 m below ground, with centre columns resting on 1.8 m-diameter piles, 70 m-deep. Dewatering avoided because of fears of settlement. Jet grouting employed to strengthen ground around TBM launch and reception positions and at pump sumps and adits between main tunnels and intervention shafts. Visit www.bilfingerberger.de for further information. October 1999.

SNC-Lavalin awarded three-year, $150 million lump-sum contract in joint venture with Ch Karnchang of Bangkok for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of trackwork and power systems for the whole 20 km-long metro system. More details at www.snc-lavalin.com November 1999.

Total length of eight twin tunnels connecting stations is almost 15 km. Four 6.3 m-diameter EPBs have been used: two launched from Phra Ram 9 station in May/June, 1999; and two from Queen Sirikit National Convention Center station in Sept/Oct, 1999. By April, 2000 nine of the sixteen drives were completed with a peak advance of 35 m/day, erecting 1.2 m-wide, 30 cm-thick, 5 + 1 concrete segment rings. Visit www.bilfingerberger.de and www.herrenknecht.com August 2000.

BMCL Co, a subsidiary of Ch Karnchang, together with Mitsubishi Electric and Alstom, to raise funds for provision of services under its 25-year MRTA contract for the 20 km-long subway being built from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue, opening end-2002. Visit www.alstom.com 15/01.

CKSL consortium, comprising Ch Karnchang and SNC Lavalin, has completed laying 1 km of track from Rama IX maintenance centre to Thiem Ruam Mitr station. The 60 km tracklaying contract from Bang Sue to Hua Lamphong is progressing at 50 m/day for completion May, 2002. Visit www.snc-lavalin.com 40/01.

MRTA planning 13.8 km-long extension of metro from Hua Lamphong to Bang Khae, beneath Ratanakosin Island. Soft loan sought from JBIC, with 0.75% interest, 10 year grace period, and repayments over 40 years. Economic internal rate of return for extension is 14%. 44/01.

Phase I of a 8.7 km blue Line extension from Hua Lamphong to Bang Wa is awaiting approval by the Committee for the Management of Land Traffic (CMLT). The project includes 4.9 km of tunnels and four underground stations. The MRTA has completed the preliminary design. Project to be implemented under design/build contract. A single tunnel will be located in east Bangkok while a twin tunnel will be built in the west side in Thonburi. The line will cross underground the Chao Phraya river at Pak Khlong Talart. Visit www.mrta.or.th 04/02.

7.2 km-long Rangsit Road project mobilising with shafts under construction at 600-700 m intervals by Italian Thai Skanska jv. Two Herrenknecht 3.2 m-diameter EPBs for delivery end-December will install 2.6 m i.d. pipes commencing early-2000. Some drives will be around curves. December 1999.

Wayss & Freytag using Herrenknecht 6.5 m shield completed first 550 m in very unstable soil consisting of sand, silt, clay and gravel using bentonite and foam. Another 550 m tunnel and two at 800 m to be driven. Best advance 25 m/day. June 1998.

Second section in two parts: 3.2 km line through stations at University and Bornova involves 836 m tunnel, 1,480 m cut-and-cover and 715 m at surface; alignment through stations at Bahceliever, Haimevieri, the Islamic Institute, Poligone and F Altay involves 2.19 km of double-track tunnel with internal diameter of 11.8 m to be driven through andesite using NATM techniques. March 1999.

Prequalification for phase two cancelled and sent back to the drawing board. Plans now involve constructing just the section from Bahceliever to F Altay which now will comprise a 1.35 km bored tunnel and 2.85 km cut and cover, subject to detailed design. New prequalification planned for May, 2000. October 1999.

General contractor Yapi Merkezi reports completion of 11.5 km first stage with ten stations from Ucyol to Halkapynar including the workshop and depot area in less than four years. $600 million contract was handled on a turnkey basis by Adtranz-Yapi Merkezi for Municipality of Greater City of Izmir. Five of the stations and 5.8 km of the line are underground. The stations at Konak, Cankaya and Basmane were constructed by cut-and-cover 10-13 m below sea level using 25-33 m-deep diaphragm walls. The Ummuhan Ana twin tunnels of driven length 2.75 km were in waterlogged ground comprising sands, silts and clays. They were constructed by the Herrenknecht 6.54 m EPB using a VMT guidance system and lined with 1.2 m-wide, 5.7 m elastomeric-gasketted precast concrete 7 + 1 rings. Average advance was 19.2 m/day on the fourth drive with a maximum of 28.8 m or 24 rings in 2 x 12 h shifts. Measured settlements were less than the 10 mm allowable. Foam and bentonite injection was available on the machine. More from www.yapi-merkezi.com November 1999.

Turkmenistan
Ashgabat - tm/12
Wastewater
3.7 m-diameter Herrenknecht EPB, machine No. M-715 with VMT semi-automatic guidance system, screw conveyor, and articulated shield supplied for 2 x 3.5 km-long project. M-715 is already in Ashgabat since early July 2002. On-site assembly in August-September 2002 for tunnelling start in October 2002. Lining rings consisting of five segments plus key. Geology is mainly stiff to hard loam (clay, silt, sand) with ballast in the south part of the city. Groundwater table varies from 1 m below the surface (northern part) to 5 m below the surface. Maximum coverage of 13 m, maximum pressure of 1 bar. First bore expected to break through in about one year. Planning and design of second drive not ready yet. Construction company is Construction Association Interbudmontazh (CAI) of Ukraine. Client is the municipality of Ashgabat. Visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.vmt-gmbh.de 32/02.

$300 million scheme for Hyder Welsh Water comprising 2.6 km of 2.44 m-diameter tunnels, 3.5 km of 1.95 m, and 3.7 km of 1.6 m in waterbearing mudstone, siltstone and sandstone using Herrenknecht EPB for the large diameter and AVN 2000D and AVN 1600D pipejacked machines for the smaller diameters. 20 access shafts ranging in internal diameter from 6.1 m to 7.62 m with precast concrete linings supplied by Tarmac Charcon and a 20 m-diameter, 40 m-deep pumping station. Shaftwork commenced December, 1997. Partnering agreement involves Welsh Water, Hyder Consulting, Laing Civil Engineering, Van Oord, and Byzack, with the latter handling the tunnelling. Completion 1999. June 1998.

Design and construct contract awarded to Miller Civil Engineering by Southern Water value $71 million. Herrenknecht 7.4 m Mixshield boring 1.6 km x 6.5 m i.d. storage tunnel at depths of 20 m to 60 m in ground conditions ranging from solid rock to running sand with high water pressures. 800 kW variable speed, bi-directional drive cutterhead. Built-in stone crusher behind cutter wheel. 6.6 m internal diameter precast concrete lining with seven gasketed segments and key. Annulus grouted systematically to minimise settlement. Possible hazards include methane, carbon dioxide and contaminated ground. Completion June, 2000. August 1998.

Herrenknecht Mixshield with VMT guidance system completed main drive mid-August, 1999. Best daily advance 21 m, or fourteen 1.5 m rings on two shifts. Fully-gasketed Charcon seven segment plus key lining with 7.36 m outside diameter. Erection time 15 min. Clayton locomotives and Wheel Sets rolling stock. Sept 1999.

Contractor Byzak launched Herrenknecht TBM on 1.2 km-long, 4.4 m-diameter drive. Sept 1999.

Two 2.9 m-diameter rock drives totalling 4,267 m with an intermediate siphon pipeline in opencut and a downstream 3,230 m opencut 2.44 m-diameter pipeline to connect with existing Syar tunnel. Under design by URS Greiner Woodward Clyde for Central Utah Water Conservancy District, UT for bid late-1999. April 1999.

Accepted design/build alternative to previously reported Spanish Fork tunnels comprises a 6.7 km-long aqueduct awarded at value $53 million to Obayashi/Clyde jv who are planning to use a refurbished 3.8 m-diameter Herrenknecht TBM starting mid-September, 2000. Primary support will be rockbolts and steel arches followed by cast-in-place 3 m i.d. concrete final lining. Designers are Jacobs Associates with Camp Dresser McKee and Golder Associates. This is the final extension of the system from Strawberry Reservoir which includes the 10-year old Syar tunnel, a long-time resident in the tunnelbuilder Hall of Fame. Visit www.jacobssf.com and www.herrenknecht.com June 2000.

Refurbished Herrenknecht 3.9 m hardrock TBM with 78 m-long trailing backup underway at Provo, UT on 7.3 km drive for Obayashi/Clyde with Jacobs Associates on design/construct project. TBM excavation scheduled for completion August, 2001 on 24 h/day, 6 day/week. Package includes two 220 m-deep vertical shafts. Visit www.jacobs.com and www.herrenknecht.com 08/01.

United States
Minnesota - us/54
Minneapolis Light Rail
2.64 km-long twin-bore rock tunnels under active runways with NATM station to be excavated in limestone beneath Minneapolis/St Paul airport. EPB with precast concrete segmental bolted lining specified by designer HNTB Corporation, who have also designed five cut-and-cover tunnels at the airport. Visit www.brierleyassociates.com October 2000.

Obayashi-Johnson Bros to commence boring in October, 2001 using refurbished Herrenknecht dual-mode EPB/open TBM in sandstone for $110 million, 1.8 km-long twin tubes at Minneapolis-St Paul. Visit www.hntb.com or www.mottmac.com 28/01.

TBM, 6.86 m-diameter, started driving two 2.8 km tubes, 6 metres apart, underneath Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on the Hiawatha line from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America in Bloomington. Sandstone boulders and hard limestone. Machine expected to surface near the airport's Humphrey Terminal in March, 2002 before being taken apart, trucked back to its starting point and reassembled to bore the second parallel tunnel. Lining ring consisting of six large concrete segments, each 1.5 m-wide by 1.8 m-long and 25 cm-thick, plus one smaller keystone. Also includes the 161 m-long Lindbergh station, 20 metres underground. Opening programmed by late 2003. Cost of $142 million financed by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, plus federal, state and Metropolitan Council funds. Visit www.dot.state.mn.us, www.mspairport.com and www.herrenknecht.com 49/01.

$49.5 million has been granted by the Federal Transit Administration for the construction of the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit project. President Bush has proposed $7.2 billion for the 2003 budget. The Hiawatha line extends from the transit mall at Fifth Avenue in downtown Minneapolis along Hiawatha Avenue to a terminus, across 24th Street to the Mall of America in Bloomington. The 18.7 km line includes 17 stations and two 2.2 km tunnels under runways and taxiways to provide two new stations serving Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. Breakthrough of the first tunnel took place on 25th April, 2002 (see E-News Weekly # 19). Service is scheduled to commence in December 2004.