On Monday, September 29, at around 4:00 p.m., the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Berthe de Puybusque achieved its first breakthrough at Fondeyre Station, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the new Toulouse metro line.
Having already covered more than one kilometer from the future La Vache–Le Grand Marché station, the TBM will now continue its underground journey toward its next destination, Ponts Jumeaux Station, where it will excavate an additional 1.4 kilometers of tunnel.
Once it reaches Ponts Jumeaux, the TBM will be dismantled and transported back to the La Vache–Le Grand Marché site to begin a new 2.1-kilometer section toward the future Raisin Station.
The operation to move the TBM’s shield from Ponts Jumeaux to its departure station will involve a complex road convoy, while five trailers will be transported through the completed tunnel. This delicate logistical maneuver must take into account the ongoing civil engineering work and spatial constraints at the station.
This breakthrough represents an important step forward for Toulouse’s expanding metro network, contributing to improved urban mobility and sustainable transport development in the city.
