Everyone is probably familiar with the Olma trade fairs in St. Gallen. Crowd favourites are the agricultural fair of the same name and, of course, the obligatory Olma bratwurst. The Rosenberg Tunnel, which runs under the Olma, is less well known but even busier. After 30 years of use due to the high volume of traffic and wear and tear in harsh winters, it is showing signs of damage that require repair.
The construction of the new St. Galler Kantonalbank hall on the Olma site was the reason for the extensive and undoubtedly also complex task for cablex as part of the renovation preparations: The old, provisional headquarters right next to the construction site of the new exhibition hall had to be relocated. The electrical installations of the Rosenberg tunnel are managed through the control centre.
cablex bewältigt komplexe Umschaltungen im Rosenbergtunnel
Project challenges.
The relocation of the control centre required a parallel installation of the systems and cables that ensured the operation of the electrical installations in the Rosenberg tunnel. The biggest challenge was the complexity of switching from the old to the new control centre. This required detailed planning:
"It must be clear who connects which cable at what time and thus switches a system from the old to the new control centre. Of course, there is also a plan in case something doesn't work out. The most important thing is that the tunnel can always be put back into operation on time in the morning after the switchovers at night", reported site manager and deputy project manager Vladimir Kiselev.
In the newly built control centre, the control cabinets will be put back into operation as a temporary solution until all renovations have been completed. Now that the preparatory work has been completed, the operating and safety systems are ready to ensure that the tunnel continues to function during the conversion work and beyond until the new systems are commissioned. The "old" Olma centre has since been demolished. The lines no longer required after the switchover were dismantled by cablex.
Further tasks:
- Repair of structural damage to power supply lines and fibre optic connections
- Equipment of a cross-passage in the neighbouring Schoren tunnel
- Setting the quality standard in the Rosenberg tunnel
- Installation of adaptation and drive-through lighting
- Construction of the access installations for the operation of the jet fans
Other challenges that were successfully overcome in the project:
- Parallel work in two-shift operation with up to 18 employees
- Various activity locations of a large construction site
- Recording of various information and local conditions on site to develop technical solutions with the site management
- Briefing and coordination of subcontractors
- Many additional orders with a need for a very high degree of flexibility
- Constant presence to monitor cost management
- Material logistics
The customer requirements: The main requirement of the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) vis-a-vis cablex was that the control centre should be successfully switched over and that traffic in the Rosenberg Tunnel could always be restarted on time and without risk.
What is cablex proud of?
"We are very satisfied that we were able to fulfil the customer's requirements and that the implementation with the site management worked well. I am also satisfied with the cooperation between the various companies on site and our subcontractors," explained Kiselew. Vladimir Kiselev has a quick answer to this question, which is the key to high-quality service: "Preparation, preparation, preparation!" He explained: "It is important to gather the necessary information before the project starts."
Good preparation creates the conditions for a successful and smooth project. The same applies to resource planning. "It pays to have a plan B in your pocket, just in case. It is important for cablex to be on site frequently in order to get a good overview of the processes. This makes it possible to estimate the cost of the additional work and supplements more accurately."
