From the rock under Wilson's Forest in Brno, there are just 50 meters left to break through

Brno – Workers are just 50 meters away from breaking through the rock below Wilson's Forest in Brno, where a tunnel for the tram is being constructed. Since spring, using heavy machinery and explosives, they have excavated approximately 280 meters. The expected date for breaking through the southern portal is mid-August, said Lucie Trubelíková, spokesperson for the Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD), to ČTK today. Concurrently, an embankment section of the tunnel is being created, measuring 164 meters, which will connect to the excavated part. After that, work on the road gallery, another part of the large urban circuit, will begin.

Blasting of the rock started in May, with internal blasts in the tunnel occurring about three times a day. "The workers first drill the profile and blast the rock every one and a half meters. Subsequently, machinery enters to clean up the site, it is inspected by geologists, the contractor, and then the area is stabilized. Layers of iron mesh, known as reinforced mesh, are installed, which need to be anchored, attached to the wall, and concreted. Meanwhile, it is continuously necessary to monitor the rock’s responses to prevent it from collapsing," described Trubelíková.

Rock blasting was also anticipated for the road gallery, which would significantly restrict traffic. So far, it has been possible to break the rock using heavy machinery, and restrictions are not necessary.

The embankment section will follow the excavated part of the tunnel, the outlines of which can already be seen at the construction site. There is a giant iron structure made from reinforced mesh. One part is covered in concrete, and a form is attached to another part, with which workers are concreting the next eight-meter section. The tunnel, which is currently above ground, will be covered in the future with rock excavated from the site. The road gallery will also be buried. Workers are already working on the road gallery by excavating rock and stabilizing the slope.

The relocation of the tram line into the tunnel is associated with a two-year closure of tram line 1. The tunnel is to be completed at the turn of this year and next. The relocation of the line will allow for the road to be widened to a four-lane configuration, thereby eliminating the bottleneck that reduces traffic flow and thus safety.

The completion of the large urban circuit in Žabovřeská Street is expected to last until around mid-2024. The costs amount to 2.03 billion crowns. The contractor is a consortium of companies Eurovia, Hochtief, and Subterra. In Brno, workers are currently also working on a part of the circuit at Tomková Square, primarily demolishing and relocating utility networks.