Gotthard Road Tunnel Tender

ScopeThe service and infrastructure shaft which is also re- ferred to as the safety shaft because the escape routes from the tunnel indicated with green signs lead into this shaft runs parallel to the tunnel on the eastern side. Work on the entrances to this shaft commenced in spring 2021. The first step involved relocating the exist- ing accesses in Airolo and Gschenen. In Gschenen the access is to be relocated to the depot site while in Airolo it will be situated above the tunnel portal alongside the ventilation plant. Blasting and the use of construction machinery will be required in the loose rock in order to facilitate the shift over a distance of around 300 metres. This work is scheduled to be completed by autumn 2022. Auxiliary shafts to access a fault zone Between April 2021 and August 2023 special auxilia- ry shafts with a diameter of seven metres each will be drilled on the north and south sides. This involves the construction of a tunnel with a length of more than five kilometres to provide access to a geological fault zone. Due to the geological structure of the terrain it is not possible to use excavation machines. Thus in order to save time access is to be gained through blasting.Excavation machines with a diameter of 12.7 metres The construction of the second tunnel tube itself is sched- uled to commence in mid-2022. The first step will be to construct the excavation machines and subsequently transfer them in segments to the site. This phase will take around 18 months and is expected to be completed in October 2023. The machines will then be assembled so that the excavation of the second tunnel tube can commence in both Airolo and Gschenen in mid-2024. Excavation machines with a diameter of 12.7 metres will proceed from both ends and each excavate around half of the 16.9-kilometre tube. The new tube will be linked with the existing safety shaft at intervals of 250 metres. 62 of these intersections will be accessible on foot and six will be accessible to vehicles.Secondary projects in Airolo and Gschenen In addition to the tunnel construction various secondary projects will also be initiated in Airolo and Gschenen. To create sufficient installation space various demolition operations will be carried out at Airolo railway station. Work will also commence on the railway and loading facilities here new points will be installed lines will be lengthened and pits will be excavated for the transfer of the excavated material. Temporary work site and mo- torway access roads for the exclusive use of construc- tion and material transport vehicles will ensure that the burden on cantonal and municipal roads will be kept as low as possible. At the southern end the excavated ma- terial will be temporarily stored at various sites i