The BERNARD Gruppe was selected by ÖBB Infrastruktur Bau AG to carry out environmental construction supervision of the four-track expansion of sections of the Austrian Westbahn railway line.
In the section between Linz and Wels in Upper Austria, BERNARD is responsible for the overall coordination of environmental construction supervision, as well as for the environmental construction supervision of the eco logy and freshwater ecology parts.
The aim of the expansion project is to replace, step-by-step, the existing two tracks on the Westbahn section between Linz and Wels with four new tracks. The construction lot for the Marchtrenk – Wels section is currently being cleared for the work, and site equipment areas are being set up. The overall coordinator of environmental construction supervision regulates the monitoring of the fulfilment of requirements by the environmental construction supervisors, structures the ongoing reporting to the approval authority, and acts as central interface between construction and project management. The scope of services also comprises consultancy in the form of environmental construction supervision of ecology and water ecology with regular on-site inspections to control the fulfillment of requirements. These requirements include measures to protect bats, reptiles, hedgehogs and protected plant species, measures to avoid damage to water bodies and measures to deal carefully with neophytes. The environmental construction monitoring team must update the construction schedule on a regular basis and in a forward-looking way, by taking into account the seasonality of ecological requirements for the implementation of the measures in order to carry out the project in an environmentally friendly manner. For this purpose, it is essential to ensure an effective communication with the Client that includes professional support for his individual needs.
The BERNARD Gruppe provides its expert services for infrastructure projects from feasibility and design to project realization. Carrying out large infrastructure projects not only requires technical design services and legal permits, but also good communication with relevant stakeholders to prevent delays in the design and construction process and legal uncertainty. In this context, the BERNARD Gruppe not only provides the technical expertise, but also the required stakeholder and communications management services.
Nicole Penke, BERNARD Gruppe
