ACCIONA, in consortium with its Polish subsidiary Mostostal Warszawa, has celebrated the breakthrough of the first tunnel tube on the S 19 Rzeszów Południe–Babica highway, a key milestone in what is said to be one of the most complex underground engineering projects in Europe.
During the ceremony attendees witnessed the 15m+ diameter cutterhead of the TBM “Karpatka” break through at the northern portal, officially marking the completion of the excavation of the first 2.25km tube of the two that make up the tunnel.
To complete the tunnel’s lining, a total of 11,020 precast concrete segments were installed, manufactured by the consortium itself. The TBM installed them in rings of 10 segments.
This breakthrough represents a particularly significant achievement for the project team, which has faced major challenges such as the complex ground conditions.
The tunnel is part of the S 19 highway, integrated into the international Via Carpatia corridor, which will connect Lithuania with Greece through Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. In Poland, the route will span approximately 700km, and the Podkarpackie section where the tunnel is located will become strategic infrastructure to improve north south connections and support the region’s economic development.