📋 Tender Overview
Work on the construction of a 2.6-kilometre-long shell tunnel for the future new railway line Schaftenau Radfeld was officially initiated by BB today. The tunnel builders will take about two years to work their way into the mountain from Angath.The Angath shell tunnel is the first major construction project for the second expansion phase of the new Lower Inn Valley Railway. Between Schaftenau and Radfeld OBB will build a new railway line of more than 20 kilometres at the northern approach to the Brenner Base Tunnel. The aim of the project is to relieve the burden on Wrgl station and to provide customers in local and long-distance transport with additional up-to-date capacities for rail transport through the Lower Inn Valley. On Monday 26 June 2023 BB officially struck the Angath shell tunnel in the presence of BB-Infrastruktur AG Managing Director Judith Engel Provincial Councillor Ren Zumtobel Mayor of the Municipality of Angath Sandra Madreiter Kreuzer Mayor of the Municipality of Angerberg Walter Osl and Pastoral Assistant Mona Mrz. Tunnel patron Justina Osl personally made the first official tee-off.Geological findings and logistics hubThe construction of the shell tunnel for the new railway line will take around two years. The planners of the BB expect additional detailed knowledge of the geology of the Angerberg. For the construction of the double-track main tunnel the shell tunnel can later be used as a logistics hub. In this way the large tunnel construction vehicles can be used at several points at the same time. This shortens the construction time and reduces the costs of the future rail tunnel. After the railway tunnel has been put into operation the tunnel will be converted into a rescue tunnel and will thus be upgraded to an essential element of the safety architecture of the new railway facilities.Cost stability and optimum quality thanks to new contract modelBB has chosen an alternative contract model for the construction contract. On the basis of an alliance agreement partnership with the construction companies is intended to ensure the greatest possible cost stability and optimum quality. Successful construction is an advantage for both BB and the construction companies. The alliance contract model is still very new in Austria for large construction projects. Accordingly experts will be watching the construction progress in Angath with interest.Central European Transport CorridorThe new Schaftenau Radfeld line at the northern approach to the Brenner Base Tunnel is part of the European Scandinavian-Mediterranean core network corridor. The heart of the more than 9000-kilometre-long transport link is the Brenner Base Tunnel. The consistent expansion of the rail infrastructure including on the access routes will create additional rail transport capacity. In addition there is the possibility of further expanding regional local passenger transport by rail. The European Union is supporting the construction work on the Brenner Base Tunnel as well as on the northern and southern access routes through subsidies. Currently the main project Schaftenau Radfeld is still in the approval phase. BB expects the public detailed approval hearing to be held in a few months time.Statements by the speakersJudith Engel Director of the Board of Management BB-Infrastruktur AG BB-Infrastruktur AG stands for the expansion and modernisation of the rail network throughout Austria. Safety punctuality and comfort for rail passengers are our top priorities. With the Angath shell tunnel we are taking another important step towards the implementation of future-oriented railway infrastructure at the northern approach to the Brenner Pass.Mario Fankhauser Managing Director of BeMo Tunnelling GmbH representative of ARGE BeMo STU-STETTINOn behalf of ARGE Rohbaustellen Angath I would like to thank you for the trust placed in us as an alliance partner. Among a larger number of bidders we were able to prove ourselves in economic but above all in personal terms and win the contract for the construction of the Angath shell tunnel. Now we are faced with the challenge of realizing this alliance project in the sense of the best-for-project principle.Provincial Councillor Ren Zumtobel Tyrolean Provincial Government Todays start of the tunnel construction work in Angath is a strong sign of life for the further expansion of the rail infrastructure on the Brenner corridor and thus for the shift of freight traffic to rail. In order for the Brenner Base Tunnel to be able to exploit its full potential in the future the access routes are essential. Tyrol fully fulfils its obligations in this regard. The aim is to transport goods by rail in an increasingly environmentally friendly way and to reduce the volume of transport by road that is the order of the day. The expansion of the railway infrastructure is urgently needed and an unavoidable step to protect the health of the population and our climate.Mayor Sandra Madreiter Kreuzer Municipality of Angath In the coming years central areas of construction site operations will be located in the municipality of Angath. We would like to have a considerate and cooperative partnership with BB and the executing companies.Mayor Walter Osl Municipality of Angerberg The municipality of Angerberg has been a constructive partner of BB for years in the planning of the new Schaftenau Radfeld line. It is important to us that the needs of the community will continue to be heard by those responsible for the project in the future.
