The breakthrough unites 24.1km of tunnelling work under Brenner. It is part of a 64km project that that will connect the Italian town of Fortezza with Innsbruck in Austria to create what will be the world’s longest railway tunnel.
Webuild is involved in four construction lots of the Brenner Base Tunnel, one of which is complete. Its work on the project employs nearly 1,600 people, 1,000 direct suppliers
The newly completed section runs from the southern portal at Fortezza to the Brenner.
The milestone was reached with the breakthrough of a diaphragm separating lots H71 Isarco River Underpass, which is being built by Webuild, and Mules 2-3 being built by Webuild and Ghella on the Italian side of the project.
In addition to the main tunnels that will facilitate the passage of high-speed/high-capacity trains, the project involves a network of 230km of tunnels and spaces, 151km of which have already been excavated. This complex underground network, whose deepest point will be 1,700 metres below the mountain range peaks, will have passenger trains travel at speeds of up to 250km an hour and those for cargo at 160km.
At a ceremony deep inside the mountain, the last diaphragm separating lots H71 Isarco River Underpass and H61 2-3 Mules was torn down by an excavator.
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