photo: BBT/Progress of the Brenner Base Tunnel: Essential Trento Bypass Approved for Construction
The longest underground railway connection in the world, the Brenner Tunnel with a length of 64 kilometres, just got approved for the Trento bypass construction with no environmental risks detected. The bypass provides access to the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT) on the Italian side.
The plan for the Trento bypass was announced in 2021, and the works are expected to be done in 2026, with the line in operation in December of this year. In September 2022, a procurement was launched for 960 million euros for the project, out of which 930 million euros will be covered by the Italian Recovery and Resilience Facility. Webuild was awarded the contracts and will lead the design and construction.
The bypass is an essential part of the Verona-Fortezza railway line that will provide access to the south entrance of the BBT, part of the projects for the TEN-T Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor expected to open by 2032. It will be part of the southern access to the Brenner Base Tunnel and consist of a new double-track railway line of roughly 13 km, with nearly 11 km of tunnel underground. The bypass will bring out a modern and resilient infrastructure that will result in environmental, economic and social benefits.
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The newly built section will connect Acquaviva, south of Trento, with Roncafort, in the north of the city, continuing to the Verona-Brenner line and giving access to Austria and, consequently, the rest of Europe. International freight transport will be improved, as well as connectivity to support current and future business activities.
Four Tunnel Boring Machines will be used during the tunnel construction at the same time, saving a significant amount of time. In addition, noise-reduction barriers will be installed along 3,1 kilometres of the construction site.
According to Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), thanks to Virginia, the Tunnel-Boring Machine that dug 14 kilometres in four years, the tunnel finally reached the border of Austria. Seventy per cent of the tunnels, equalling 157 kilometres, have been completed, as mentioned by the Italian IM. Once finished, the time from Fortezza to Innsbruck will be reduced from 80 to 25 minutes.
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