feature stories | the algerian east-west motorway 1 The Algerian East-West Motorway challenges of a different kind by Ali Hammoud and Ghaleb Naamani, Transportation The 1,200-km East-West (E-W) motorway across Algeria’s Mediterranean band is part of a 7,000-km regional network, the Trans-Maghreb Motorway, linking Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. Construction of the 1,200-km Algerian section started more than 15 years ago along certain segments, 300 km of which are now operational. In late 2006, the remaining parts of the E-W motorway were launched in one go using new design-build contracts now common-use in road projects. The motorway was divided into three geographical sections: the Eastern Lot (400 km), the Central Lot (180 km) and the Western Lot (320 km). In addition to the traditional benefits of cutting down on travel time and cost, and improving road safety, this venture created 200,000 jobs and spurred development in many coastal villages and provinces along the E-W motorway. Project scope The Eastern Lot has been awarded to COJAAL, a consortium of the Japanese firms Kajima, Taisei, Nishimatsu, Hazama and Itochu. Dar has been commissioned by COJAAL to undertake upgrading of the existing preliminary design to European standards, and production of construction documents. The section allocated to Dar is approximately 230 km long and includes 4 tunnels totalling 5,000 m in length, 22 viaducts and wadi bridges, 76 one-to-two span overpasses, and 32 underpasses. In design-build jobs construction starts as soon as possible, adopting a fast-track approach whereby construction is initiated when just enough design is produced, and design and construction activities progress simultaneously with design staying abreast. The key is to keep construction flowing. 2 So, what’s new in all this? Is it not the nth time that we are engaged in a large size multi-disciplinary fasttrack design job? Few have ever worked in such a multicultural environment. An enriching experience, not without its challenges, working on a big project and benefitting from a unique exposure to a multitude of design methodologies and engineering approaches. Differences were soon ironed out and work progressed smoothly as all parties got better accustomed to each other’s ways. Close coordination and daily communication developed between Dar’s site engineers and the contractors’ as they worked together to overcome unexpected challenges with the highest degree of mutual respect and the least level of compromises. 3 1 The Algerian E-W motorway across northern Algeria 2 Tunnel excavation and primary support installation 3 Design of an expressway overpass, 76 one-to-two span overpasses are envisaged 4 Exposed reinforcement bars and expansion joints of an underpass 5 Underpass work in progress 6 Tunnel portal work inspection during a site visit 46