Four new jobsites started for Italian rail projects

The four jobsites are the remaining two construction sites for the Hirpinia-Orsara and Orsara-Bovino sections of the Naples-Bari high-speed line, and the first two functional lots – Fiumefreddo-Taormina/Letojanni and Giampilieri-Taormina sections – of Sicily’s Messina-Catania line.

Italy’s railway infrastructure company, Rete Ferroviaria Italia (Gruppo FS Italiane), awarded the contracts to a consortium of Webuild (70%) and Impresa Pizzarotti (30%) in June last year.

The Hirpinia-Orsara section is a 28km of line, of which 27km will be tunnels. The Orsara-Bovino section involves excavation of a twin-tube tunnel of about 10km and an additional 2km of line. The two contracts are part of the broader project to upgrade the Naples-Benevento-Foggia-Bari railway axis.

The Taormina-Giampilieri section is a 28.3km line, with 25.2km of tunnels – to be built by three TBMs, seven viaducts and two railway stations. The 15km Fiumefreddo-Taormina/Letojanni section includes four tunnels, the Taormina-Letojanni interconnection, the Taormina underground station, and two viaducts. The two sections are part of the Palermo-Catania-Messina railway upgrade project, which aims to speed up Sicily’s rail connections and improve the island’s accessibility.

On the Palermo-Catania line, the Webuild Group is already building the Bicocca-Catenanuova section.