Teixeira Duarte wins contract for road tunnel in downtown Porto

On 4 March, Teixeira Duarte – Engenharia e Construções, S.A. (TD-EC) and Gestão de Obras do Porto, E.M. signed a work order contract for construction of a tunnel connecting Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto to Rua Alexandre Braga, totalling €4,367,613.54 and due to be completed in 365 days.

The works in question are part of the wider project for restoring and refurbishing of the Bolhão Market.

According to the project specifications, there was a need to build an underground road tunnel providing access to the new basements planned for the market precinct. This access will be provided via Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto, making use of existing street-level stories and the corresponding stories at level -2 at Rua Formosa.

The works are essential for the operation of Bolhão Market, as the new access will allow entry of goods, exit of products in amounts requiring road vehicle transport, entry for providers of support services to the Market, exit of waste, etc.

• The construction of a tunnel connecting Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto to Rua Alexandre Braga, of approximately 120 metres in length;
• The partial refurbishment of the buildings at nos 325, 327 and 329 Rua Formosa;
• The construction of new buildings 2, 4 and 6 on Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto and Rua de António Pedro, two levels above the tunnel’s roof slab, replacing the existing buildings that are due for demolition.

The study for this tender was carried out by the Infrastructures Department, but involved the cooperation of other sectors at TD-EC, with a special mention due for the involvement of the Project Department in researching the best building processes, bearing in mind the specifics of some of the work to be undertaken.