- With excavation of the first of the two tunnel tubes completed last December, ACCIONA is now carrying out this major TBM maneuver on its section of the expressway
ACCIONA is carrying out the rotation of the tunnel boring machine (TBM), nicknamed “Karpatka,” which is driving the twin-tube tunnel on the S19 Rzeszów Południe–Babica expressway in Poland—marking a key milestone in one of the most complex infrastructure projects the company is currently delivering in Eastern Europe. With the first tunnel tube excavated last December, work is now underway to reposition the TBM for the second drive.
Rotating the TBM—114 meters long and weighing 4,400 tons—is a highly complex operation. To complete it safely, ACCIONA is using an innovative air hover system (Air Mover) that lifts the machine on a thin cushion of air, allowing it to be moved and turned securely. This avoids dismantling the TBM and reduces both time and risk.
The rotation is being carried out alongside maintenance work and technical inspections to assess the TBM’s key components. Once completed, individual components will be checked before excavation resumes on the second tunnel tube.
The Babica Tunnel, with a total length of 2.2 kilometers and two one-way tubes, is the most complex structure included in the section awarded to ACCIONA. The S-19 expressway is part of 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 700 kilometers, 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.