News from TTi

Beverly Hills subway standoff continues

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) board of directors approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report for the Westside Subway Extension Project on April 26.

Road tunnel inspections called for after fire kills two

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

China’s The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called for a nation wide inspection of road tunnels following a vehicle pile up that killed two and left more than 30 injured. The deaths have triggered inspections of 12 other tunnels in...

Metro approves Regional Connector tunnel project

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority certified the Final Environmental Impact Reports for a new tunnelling project line Thursday on April 26.

East Side Access estimate moved to 2019

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The New York mega project with a USD 7.3bn price tag originally had an end date of 2013, while other estimates suggested 2018. Recent analysis has shown the project would more likely finish in 2019, Metropolitan Transportation Authority...

Shortlisted bidders for Bank Station announced

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

London Underground (LU) announced in late April the four bidding groups who have been shortlisted to go through the new Innovative Contractor...

BREAKING NEWS: Crossrail starts digging

Fri, 4 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The first giant TBM, Phyllis, for London’s Crossrail project has broken ground at Royal Oak en route to Farringdon to construct the first section of tunnel. “Tunnelling for Crossrail has now commenced. Phyllis is now beginning to slowly...

Jacobs wins Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Machau bridge materials testing contract

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

US-based Jacobs Engineering late last month announced it was awarded an outsourcing contract from the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region...

Gemcom is Dassault target

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dassault Systemes of France intends to acquire geological modelling and simulation company Gemcom Software International of Vancouver, Canada. Dassault is already a leader in three-dimensional design, mock ups and product lifecycle management...

Leaks keep Gautrain link closed

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Rosebank to Johannesburg Park Station section of the South Africa’s 15km Gautrain tunnel is destined to remain closed pending a full solution to its water leakage problem, which continues to be a major point of dispute between the project...

Ferrovial lands Spain high-speed rail contract

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Construction of 7.6km of high-speed railway, including one tunnel, on the Madrid to Galicia rail project in Spain has been awarded to Ferrovial Agroman, a construction subsidiary of Spain-based...

EU politicians discuss Fehmarnbelt with Danish transport minister

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A delegation from the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee and members of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport late last month met with the Danish transport minister Henrik Dam Kristensen and representatives...

Bridge used to leverage giant TBM

Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dismantling and removal of the of the 13.2m diameter TBM for Sochi Olympics motorway tunnels began late last month. The 1,600t Herrenknecht TBM was used to cut the northern section of motorway...

London Underground trains hit tunnel bulge

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Several London Underground (LU) trains hit an obstruction on the Bakerloo Line this morning. A source close to LU told T&TI, “An area experiencing...

Bechtel’s 2011 results

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In April Bechtel released its 2012 report looking back on its 2011 results. The company boasted revenue of USD 32.9bn. This was an increase of 18 per cent on the previous year’s total of USD 27.9bn, although that was following a two-year-long...

Soderstrom tunnel’s new pumps

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Soderstrom rail tunnel project in Stockholm, Sweden has employed Tsurumi pumps to end delays.

TBM moves for London Power

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Abnormal Load Services (ALS) has transported a 4.72m-diameter Herrenknecht TBM from the manufacturer’s Schwanau headquarters to National Grid’s...

Keller director Jimenez steps down

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Pedro Lopez Jimenez will stand down from his position as non-executive director on the board of ground engineering giant Keller. The company had intended to re-elect him a director at the AGM.

Tunnel plan to unlock Kargil, India

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti last week spoke in favour of fast-tracking a tunnel project. The alignment would run across Zoji La, a mountain pass in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Mufti...

USDOT USD 422M loan approved for Midtown Tunnel

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) last week approved a USD 422M loan for credit assistance for the Midtown Tunnel project.

Mexico City Metro Line 12 completes excavation

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Excavation finished last month on Line 12 of the Mexico City Metro. A 10.2m Robbins EPBM completed the 7.7km drive. The contractor was a JV of ICA, Carso and Alstom.

Taylor Woodrow division boosts Vinci

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Vinci Construction UK announced turnover of GBP 1.11bn (USD 1.77bn) in 2011, up eight per cent on the previous year. The Taylor Woodrow civil engineering division’s existing...

Terratec EPBM for Bangkok Metro

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A Terratec EPBM was accepted by the Bangkok Metro Blue Line extension project on 27 March. Representatives of client Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and contractor Italian-Thai Development attended the ceremony in Guangzhou,...

Tunnel as evidence in foiled Sicilian jewellery heist

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A foiled jewellery heist in the Sicilian town of Acireale involved construction of a 1km-long tunnel in a month. The four-strong tunnel gang were spotted emerging from a manhole several metres from their target jewellery shop, where police...

Arup looks to Tanner for infrastructure leadership

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Bruce Tanner has been made leader of Arup’s 650-strong Australasian infrastructure department. Formerly in charge of the Queensland team, he took over from the retiring Frank Vromans at the end on March.

Tunnel plug passes stress test

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate tested an inflatable tunnel plug to contain flooding or harmful gases. The January test was undertaken in a dummy steel tunnel to see if the plug could hold back...

First North West Rail Link EIS sent to public

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The first of two environmental impact statements (EIS) for the North West Rail Link in Sydney, Australia was released on Wednesday. The announcement followed a statement on 12 March that the New South Wales Government would secure an additional...

Bond Street boasts new remote sensor

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Costain announced that a new sensor to detect structure movement was introduced by the Halcrow-Atkins...

Leighton notes project performance deterioration

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Leighton Holdings this month identified a “detorioration in the financial performance of [the Brisbane] Airport Link and the Victorian Desalination Project”. It will result in a forecast profit...

HS2 preliminary design contracts awarded

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UK Client High Speed Two (HS2) announced on Thursday that it had awarded four contracts for civil and structural design services. The companies will prepare preliminary designs that will inform the hybrid bill documents to be submitted to...

Crossrail’s Canary Wharf Station complete

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Work has completed at platform level on Crossrail’s Canary Wharf Station in London, UK. Canary Wharf Contractors, the contractor, constructed a 250 by 30m station box some 28m underground. Twin 7.6m-diameter rings were constructed at both...

Bad Canstatt awarded to Alpine-Hochtief-W&F JV

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The EUR 290M (USD 386.66M) Bad Cannstatt rail tunnel contract was awarded to the Alpine-Hochtief-Wayss & Freytag partnership. Client Deutsche...

Crossrail fit-out shortlist

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Crossrail announced the shortlist for the GBP 400M (USD 641M) major tunnel fit-out services contract, C610.

UK Health and Safety Executive cost recovery scheme delayed

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) did not implement its new cost recovery scheme at the start of April as planned.

First U220 breakthrough

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Breakthrough was reached on the first bore of the U220 University Link Light Rail in Washington, D.C., US. The 6.4m Herrenknecht machine completed the 3.2km drive on 21 March with a 3mm inaccuracy.

Restart of Sao Paulo Metro Line Four

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Governor Geraldo Aickman, Secretary of State for Metropolitan Transportation (STM), Juarandir Fernandes, and Sao Paulo Metro president Sergio Avelleda have officially started construction of the second phase of the Sao Paulo Line Four (Yellow).

Motts gets power plant design

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Infrastructure engineering organisation MARG Ltd of Chennai, India, has awarded Mott MacDonald a design contract for the sea-water intake, outfall and circulation cooling system for a 2x250-MW...

ERM leads HS2 environment consortium

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A consortium led by the ERM group, and including Mott MacDonald and the Temple Group, has won two of the final four Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) contracts for the proposed HS2 high-speed...

Crossrail awards Victoria Dock portal contract to Vinci

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Contract 340 was awarded to Vinci Construction UK. Andy Mitchell, Crossrail programme director said, “Crossrail has awarded the last portal contract. The Royal Oak Portal completed...

Leighton Holdings accepts infringement notices

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Leighton Holdings said that without admitting liability, it accepts the notices issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission related to the earnings downgrade issued in April 2011. It will pay AUD 300,000 USD 315,450.

Tunnel design investigated in Swiss bus crash that killed 28

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A coach crashed in a tunnel in Switzerland last month killing 28 people. The vehicle impacted a wall head on, killing both drivers. No other vehicles were involved.

Australian National Tunnelling Code of Practice announced amidst concern

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Australasian Tunnelling Society (ATS) has criticised areas of the proposed National Tunnelling Code of Practice. At a workshop in Brisbane this month that presented a new Queensland Code of Practice induction, it was announced that a...