NEWS |


Prague tunnel contract awards CZECH REPUBLIC – Contracts for a metro tunnel and a road tunnel were among recent awards of infrastructure projects in Prague. The Prague Public Transport Company


(DPP) awarded the contract for the next phase of the metro’s Line D to a consortium of Subterra, Hochtief, and BeMo Tunnelling. DPP proceeded with the contract agreement after the Office for the Protection of Competition rejected an appeal from Strabag. The contract will extend the metro line


from Olbrachtova to Nové Dvory. The works include construction of 6km of tunnel sections plus three new underground stations. Construction work is getting underway and completion is scheduled for 2032. Works on the first phase of the new metro line are ongoing and expected to finish in 2029. When finished, Line D is to be about


10.6km-long with 10 stations, eight of which are newly constructed. Separately in the capital, the Road


and Motorway Directorate awarded a contract for the final section of the D11 motorway, between Jaroměř and Trutnov, to a consortium led by Eurovia CZ, a local subsidiary of Vinci Construction. The contract includes building 20km of


new road, a 767m-long tunnel and 31 bridges. Works are scheduled complete in late 2029. The D11 motorway is part of the strategic Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).


Silica dust risk findings - survey AUSTRALIA – Tunnel construction workers across Australia say they face significant exposure to silica dust, according to a 2024- 2025 survey in research by the University of Sydney. The research findings, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, are based on a survey of 290 tunnelling industry workers and industry professionals between September 2024 and June 2025. They highlight a potential critical gap between awareness of silica risks and the effective implementation of safety controls by leadership. There is widespread recognition of the


dangers, but 62.5% of survey respondents reported barriers preventing effective dust control, with time pressures, lack of management commitment, and weak regulatory enforcement identified as key issues. Most respondents were concerned about being exposed to silica dust and developing a silica-related disease. The survey acknowledges improvements


in dust control technologies, including better ventilation systems, enclosed cabins,


8 | August 2026


and increased use of respiratory protective equipment. But, based on the survey results, researchers say that measures may not be being applied consistently, or be relied upon rather that controlling hazards at the source. The study calls for stronger regulatory


enforcement and oversight of the industry. Lead researcher is PhD candidate Kate


Cole from the university’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, who has worked on large-scale infrastructure and construction projects, including tunnelling, for more than two decades.


CREG builds VD pipejack for Dubai UAE – A variable-diameter pipejacking machine designed for the Dubai stormwater drainage project has passed its Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) at CREG’s factory in Zhengzhou, China. The Tasreef Project’s technical challenges


include high temperatures, complex ground conditions, deep alignment, high water pressure, long-distance tunnelling, and changing diameter requirements. The CREG machine can switch between


4.28m and 4.78m in excavation diameters, which it says improves cost efficiency and enhances construction adaptability.


Mumbai water job sees TBM FAT INDIA – The 5.33m-diameter Herrenknecht TBM that Afcons Infrastructure will deploy on Mumbai’s water tunnel project has passed its Factory Acceptance Test (FAT). The hard rock TBM will drive the 7.2km-


long tunnel that will connect Kasheli to Mulund (Bhiwandi to Octroi Naka). The TBM is to be launched from a


14m-diameter shaft. Excavated material will be handled by a combination of horizontal and vertical conveyor systems, which are also supplied by Herrenknecht.


Lithium exploration tunnel greenlit GERMANY – Permit has been granted to construct an approximately 1km-long exploration tunnel to access the Zinnwald ore body that underpins the Zinnwald Lithium Project in Saxony, Germany. Zinnwald Lithium GmbH will use the


tunnel to access the ore body and may incorporate it into the permanent mine infrastructure, subject to development approval. Permits, including completion of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and public consultation, will be required for mine production. The project aims to


produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The tunnel is expected to improve the company’s geotechnical, seismic and hydrogeological knowledge of the ore body, as well as enable the extraction of a bulk sample for large- scale metallurgical testing.


UCA 2026 Awards US – The Underground Construction Association (UCA) recently announced its annual awards at the NAT 2026 conference with winners in the following categories: ● UCA Lifetime Achievement Award – Jerome P Shaw, President, SAK LLC;


● UCA Lifetime Achievement Award – Amanda Elioff, Senior VP, National Practice Lead-Tunnels, WSP USA;


● UCA Lifetime Achievement Award – Thomas J Clemens, President of North American Tunnelling, DSI Underground (retired);


● UCA Muddy Boots Award – John Kiernan, General Superintendent, Skanska Civil Northeast;


● UCA Outstanding Educator Award – Tom Iseley, Professor of Engineering Practice, Purdue University;


● UCA Person of the Year – Moussa Wone, Chief Engineer & VP, DC Water, for significant contributions and leadership in advancing the owners’ effective participation in furthering fairness among contracting parties;


● UCA Young Member Award – Jack Lawrence, Tunnel Engineer, HNTB;


● UCA Project of the Year (US$100m- US$500m) – Fermi Forward Discovery Group, for the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility Project, which provides the space and infrastructure for high-energy physics particle research. The award recognises contributions from Fermi Forward Discovery Group, Arup, Delve Underground, Kiewit Alberici JV, and Thyssen Mining Group;


● UCA Project of the Year (< US$100m) – Merco Inc, for the Legislative Plaza Renovations Project in Nashville, Tennessee, having been selected by Skanska USA Building for the demolition of Motlow Tunnel and used precision blasting with a digital detonation system instead of mechanical excavation;


● UCA Technical Innovation Award – Arup, for Loupe360 and Automated Tunnel Inspection Innovation, developed in partnership with Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario, and deployed on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which helps inspections on major infrastructure projects.


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