The Bosruck Tunnel, presently a bottleneck on the A9 Pyhrn Motorway, one of the major transit routes to southeastern Europe, will be expanded by building a second western tube with a total length of 5.5 km. The contract was awarded by ASFINAG as part of its tunnel safety program. Upon completion and commissioning in 2013 this stretch of highway will meet the two-lane safety standard required by the E.U. and will be a significant step towards the complete expansion of the A9 Pyhrn Motorway. “Winning the contract for this challenging tunnel project is impressive proof of ALPINE’s competence in tunnel construction,” says Roman Esterbauer, responsible managing director of ALPINE Bau GmbH. The joint venture is composed of ALPINE Bau GmbH and its fully-owned subsidiary BeMo. The tunnel will be constructed by excavator and blast drive.
Construction will begin in January 2010. The net contract value is EUR 130 million. The tunnel is expected to be completed in 2013. The twin-tube tunnel will be in full operation in 2015 after rehabilitation of the existing tube. Construction of the second tube of the Bosruck Tunnel will provide a two-lane connection between the states of Styria and Upper Austria. The 5.5-kilometer roadway (including galleries) will have a width of approx. 7.5 meters, and will be located to the west of the existing eastern tube.
Challenge in tunnel construction and road safety
“Construction of the western tube is a special challenge from a tunnel engineering point of view. We expect extreme water ingress during construction due to the snowmelt. At the same time we expect to encounter difficult geological conditions during excavation due to soaking, water-soluble material such as plaster, salt and clay,” adds Roman Esterbauer. 5 emergency bays and 11 cross-drifts, of which 6 will be walk-through, will ensure the tunnel meets the strictest safety requirements.
ALPINE’s competence in tunnel construction
Its extensive competence in tunnel construction not only allows ALPINE and its fully-owned subsidiary, ALPINE BeMo Tunnelling GmbH, to successfully conclude projects for the construction of railroad and highway tunnels as well as water and energy management systems in Austria but around the globe. On an international scale, ALPINE is involved, e.g. in the construction of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland, the new subway network in New Dehli/India and the intake tunnel for India’s Tapovan Power Plant. Further tunnel construction projects for power plants are located in Bulgaria and Turkey. ALPINE is currently expanding the subway network in Singapore and, upon completion of the Yellow River Diversion Project, is building an underground water supply tunnel in China. The company recently succeeded in positioning itself in the prequalification for the Crossrail Tunnel project in London as part of an international consortium. Further tunnel construction projects for power plants are located in Bulgaria and Turkey. ALPINE is expanding the metro network in Singapore and has gained a foothold in tunnel construction in China by building a water supply tunnel. Consulting for tunnel construction projects is being provided in the USA, Russia, Kazakhstan and Great Britain, offering know-how and planning expertise.