The new high-capacity fast line is called Third Pass. It will run 53 km, including 34.92 km in tunnels and involves 12 municipalities in the provinces of Genoa and Alexandria and the regions of Liguria and Piedmont. The new line will be connected to the South - by interconnecting Voltri and Bivio Fegino - with the railway systems of the Genoa joint, for which are ongoing important work of functional adaptation and enhancement, as well as the port docks of Voltri and Harbour Town. To the north, from Novi Ligur, the route connects to existing lines Genoa - Torino (for the traffic flows in the direction of Torino and Novara - Simplon) and the line Tortona - Piacenza (for traffic towards Milano - San Gottardo). Described in detail, the line starting from the railway junction of Genoa (Bivio Fegino), develops almost entirely in the tunnels (Valico and Serravalle) to the Novi Piana, with the exception of a short section in Libarna correspondence. Passage through the tunnel Valico has four intermediate access windows, both design for security reasons. From the exit of the tunnel Serravalle, line is mainly developing until reaching the tunnel Pozzolo, the exit of which the line runs outside to the junction on the existing line Pozzolo Formigaro - Tortona (route to Milano); in the section between Novi Ligure and Pozzolo Formigaro, it will be notable the creation of artificial tunnel connecting services for Torino on the current line Genoa - Torino.

 

Fig. 1 Railway track Milano - Genova

Following the most advanced security standards, the track is located mainly underground, and the tunnel sections will be largely made of two single-track tunnels side by side and joined together by cross-connection (bypass) so that each can serve as a safety tunnel to the other. The most significant works are represented by the following tunnels: 27.110 m base tunnel (Vallico), consisting of 2 single track tunnel with 1 underground safe area, Serravalle tunnel ( 2 single track tunnels) that is 7.094 m long and the shortest Campasso with the length of 716 m.

Open tender
The Italian Government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, has focused on actions of the implementation and all necessary measures for the holding of public and national resources considering on infrastructure development that produce effects and competitiveness. These measures are results for the creation of the Third Pass, which is the part of the European Corridor Rhine - Alps. The Final Design of the entire work vives a conclusion of the spending limit of 6,200 million euro and the year of the completion should be 2021. Italian State Railways Group is managing railway infrastructure investment, operating through the Italian Railway Network (RFI) with the engineering company Italferr which is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the project. The general contractor in charge of the design and construction is the COCIV consortium. At the moment the invitation to tender is open, with the deadline on 18.07.2016. Companies could apply for the construction of the railway superstructure from km 0+333.00 to km 52+890.00, for civil works as well as associated works from km 44+152.65 to km 52+974.50 for the Third Pass project on the Milan-Genoa high-capacity, high-speed railway line. The contract value is EUR 159.26 million, excluding VAT. The duration of the contract is 1494 days from the award.