Porr for Frankfurt rail project

Porr Deutschland has been signed up to build a section of the U5 city rail line in Frankfurt, Germany, in a contract worth more than €120 million.

The German arm of the Austrian-based contractor will build the 1,160m-long underground section from Platz der Republik to where the section emerges overground by the Emser Bridge.

The agreement was signed this week by SBEV (Stadtbahn Europaviertel Projektbaugesellschaftand) and Porr Deutschland.

Karl-Heinz Strauss, CEO of Porr, said, “This highly challenging tender is a milestone in the development of civil engineering for Porr in Germany. Just like the group as a whole, Porr Deutschland employs a strategy of intelligent growth. Among the tenders we have recently acquired this project is a genuine highlight.”

With Europaviertel in Frankfurt, a new inner city quarter is being created, and about 30,000 people will live and work there. It is said that there will be “generous” urban development standards, modern infrastructure and optimal transport and traffic links.

The measures underway include extending the U5 city line by around 2.7km, along with four new stations. This additional section consists of multiple construction lots.

The tender awarded to Porr Deutschland in a consortium with Stump Spezialtiefbau also includes the construction of the shell of the Güterplatz underground station.

Work is set to start in February 2017. The two tunnel tubes will be driven with the earth-pressure-balance method over a period of around 16 months, complemented by various additional measures. The work is due to be completed by July 2022.