The tunnel laid under the Mont Blanc between Italy and France, which is over 60 years old, will be closed from September 4 to December 18 for repair, the tunnel's press service said Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2023) The tunnel laid under the Mont Blanc between Italy and France, which is over 60 years old, will be closed from September 4 to December 18 for repair, the tunnel's press service said Monday.
"Renovation work on the vault: the work on the first test site will take place from September 4 to December 18, 2023. This first experimental section work will include the renovation of the vault at two locations in the tunnel, a total of 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) in 2023," the statement read.
The fall period was chosen due to a lower traffic at this time of year, especially for passenger vehicles, which accounted for 67% of the tunnel's load in 2022, according to the statement.
"This site work will require a total closure of traffic for 15 weeks," the statement read.
The work on second test site will take place for a similar period in 2024, renovating additional 600 meters. In total, the renovation of the first two sections will cost 50 million Euros ($54 million), sponsored by French (ATMB) and Italian (SITMB) concession companies, according to the statement.
According to La Repubblica newspaper, this will be preparations for a complex renovation of the tunnel that will take for some 18 years.
The tunnel under Mont Blanc, the Alps' highest peak, was opened in 1965 with participation of presidents from France and Italy. The tunnel is 7.2 miles long, 28 feet wide with the roadway 22,9 feet wide. The highway can be covered in less than 12 minutes, traveling at 40 mph.
In March 1999, the tunnel went up in flames, causing dozens of deaths, after a truck with margarine caught fire. This tragedy remains one of the most significant events in the history of road tunnel safety, serving as a reminder of the need for strict adherence to traffic rules when in the tunnel.
