Start of construction of the Gléresse Tunnel in Switzerland
The two-track tunnel eliminates a bottleneck on the Lausanne – Biel route.
The construction of the 2.13 km long double-track Gléresse tunnel in Bern has started, which will remove the last single-track section between La Neuveville and Twann on the Lausanne – Biel/Bienne line.
The ground-breaking ceremony took place on April 12th in the presence of the government councilor of the canton of Bern, Mr. Christoph Neuhaus, the deputy director of the Federal Office of Transport, Ms. Anna Barbara Remund, and the head of the infrastructure department of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Mr. Peter Kummer.
The tunnel has been proposed in some form since 1942, but the existing project only started in 2013. The tunnel will allow the construction of a new 4.5 km double-track section, which will allow the introduction of a half-hourly timetable and will also allow for a faster return of services in the event of a disruption. The tunnel will run parallel to the N5 motorway tunnel and will share the emergency tunnel built for the road tunnel.
The project will cost around 431 million Swiss francs (US$462 million) and will be funded by the Railway Infrastructure Fund (FIF), approved in February 2014.
The project also includes the dismantling of the existing single-track line, which will create around 31,000 m2 Green spaces for the community.
The preliminary work for the project began at the end of 2021, including the rerouting of the track and the advance excavation of the west portal. Work will continue over the summer with construction of a cut-and-cover tunnel, while full tunnel excavation using traditional blasting techniques will begin in 2023.
Measures are being taken to reduce the disruption to local residents, such as: B. The installation of noise barriers with sound absorbing panels in the main construction areas. Night work is also reduced to a minimum.
The tunnel is expected to open in December 2026.
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