By Lynda Myer
Excavation procces of Lot 2 of Paris’s new metro line has been completed by Webuild and its French partner, NGE.
While breakthrough at Mare au Chanvre is the indication of end of tunneling on the 29km-long tunnel for Line 16, TBM Houda was the last of seven TBMs to finish its journey on the tunnel. Digging of 11km section of the tunnel was up to Houda and sister TBM Mirelle. Mirelle arrived at Mare au Chanvre in May last year.
Lot 2 also includes four of Line 16’s 10 new stations: Aulnay-sous-Bois, Sevran-Beaudottes, Sevran-Livry and Clichy-Montfermeil.
According to Webuild: “The Lot 2 works should be completed by the autumn. Société des Grands Projets said excavating the 29km tunnel was challenging, with complex geology and numerous water tables, and the alignment navigated existing rail lines.”
Also in order to improving the strength of the tunnel, Webuild used precast fibre-reinforced concrete segments for the tunnel lining halved the amount of steel.
As a 200km network to link the city centre with urban areas, Line 16 is part of the Grand Paris Express.
To create the Grand Paris Express, the existing Line 14 is being extended and four new metro lines(15, 16, 17 and 180 are being built. The scheduled date for launching is the current year and it is due to be completed in 2030.
