Doubling the railroad track between Gléresse and Douanne
A large tunnel infrastructure project of strategic importance in the Canton of Berne
The project to double the SBB track between Gléresse and Douanne in the canton of Berne is designed to eliminate the last single-track section of the Lausanne-Biel line. This section is clearly a bottleneck in the SBB network on the DfA 210 line (line at the foot of the Jura). The project involves the upgrading of the railway infrastructure in four sectors, as well as the construction of a double-track tunnel.
Sector 1 is located between La Neuveville and Chavanne. It includes the upgrading of the railway infrastructure (including new LC foundations, drainage, cable ducts and crossings), the shifting of the tracks in the Chavanne curve, the widening of the Poudeille underpass and the extension of the Marnins-Friesses underpass. Noise barriers will also be built in this area. These works will be carried out in a special environment, as they are located in a UNESCO zone and in the middle of wine-growing plots.
Sector 2 is located between Chavanne and Douanne. The work involves the construction of a new railway tunnel and the dismantling and upgrading of the existing tracks. At the west portal, the proximity of the N05 and the Chavanne half-junction necessitates the construction of a new road viaduct. At the east portal, space is very limited. The new lanes cross the Ortsdurchfahrt 1358 secondary road. In order to rationalize crossings, the project calls for the construction of a two-way underpass and a lake embankment. The context at the eastern portal is relatively delicate, as it involves an S1 zone (La Brunnmühle) as well as a fish farm. Natural hazard issues are also present in this sector.
Sector 3 concerns the town of Douanne. From the east portal of the tunnel, the secondary road will be upgraded, and the Douanne station will be largely demolished and rebuilt to meet the new requirements of the Law on Equality for the Disabled (LHand). Work in this area will also involve the redevelopment of the railway infrastructure (including new LC foundations, drainage, cable ducts and crossings), the widening of the Kleintwann underpass and the bridge over the Twannbach. Construction of a new retaining wall and relocation of the Strandweg are also planned. These works are also partly located in the UNESCO zone. Sector 4 is located around Tüscherz. Work on the contact line infrastructure is planned in this sector.
The video shows how the work will progress in 2022. This video provides an insight into the preparatory work for one of the largest infrastructure projects in French-speaking Switzerland.
Gruner services
SBB awarded the design contract for the design and construction supervision to the GILIG engineering consortium, headed by Gruner. In the western section of the project, Gruner is responsible for all the structures described above, as well as the main tunnel. In the eastern section, Gruner is responsible for the deep excavations at the entrance and the rigid slab laid on piles. Gruner is also responsible for monitoring and coordinating the disposal of excavated material for recycling in cement works.You can see a more in depth project reference with regards to the Geotechnical engineering side of the eastern sector : https://www.gruner.ch/en/projects/ligerz-tunnel-geotechnics
The project in the media
SBB/CFF/FFS maintains a website on the project:
The start of work is the subject of an article in Rail Journal 12.04.2022:
https://www.railjournal.com/infrastructure/construction-begins-on-switzerlands-gleresse-tunnel/
as well as the choice of contractor - Article New Civil Engineer, 04.08.2023:
Publications
A document on the project was presented at the Swiss Tunnel Congress in 2020 by SBB, detailing the history of the project. You can find it on page 166 of the following PDF:
Client
- SBB CFF FFS
Services
- Railway construction
- Infrastructure