On 6 May, Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM), in association with SGE Acres, C-CORE and the IBI Group, was awarded the contract for a prefeasibility study into a fixed link across the Strait of Belle Isle between Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada (T&TI, April p8).
The US$275,000 contract was awarded by the Public Policy Research Centre (PPRC) in Newfoundland’s Memorial University. The study is expected to favour a 17km immersed tube tunnel.
The prefeasibility will examine the technical and economic implications and viability of constructing a fixed transportation link and provide a basis for determining whether a full feasibility is warranted.
Work will involve: background research on the geological and environmental features of the location; assessment of the transportation, engineering and structural requirements; a cost benefit analysis of the project.
The PPRC described HMM’s credentials as including the Channel Tunnel, although a bored tunnel is not considered likely in this instance. The IBI Group brings experience in transportation planning as well as economic analysis and C-CORE has expertise in ice engineering that will be essential. SGE Acres has a history of major projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Canadian government is funding 80% of the prefeasibility by means of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the provincial Newfoundland and Labrador government is funding the remaining 20%.
Officials from the PPRC, provincial and federal governments evaluated bids for carrying out the prefeasibility. Now that it has finally been awarded, the completion date for the study is late summer 2004.
