The tunnel pit is closed: this is what is going on

The Europatunnel at the Stadshart has been closed to traffic since the weekend of 6 May. An accident occurred due to loose manhole covers and the municipality has decided to close the tunnel.

The municipality has devised an interim solution to partially open the tunnel trough again. Do take into account crowds and a longer travel time.

Flying grates

The drainage grilles on both lanes have come loose. In a article, from our colleagues at AD Zoetermeer, we can read that new schedules were posted a few weeks ago. The bolts just didn’t stay stuck in the concrete because of the wear and age of the gutters. This caused the grilles to become loose. One of these flew into the engine block of a car and another car ran over it. Two motorists collided with each other due to the hectic pace.

How long will this take?

Since the closure, we can drive along the top of the Europaweg. Due to crowds, this causes delays, especially during rush hours. The Europatunnel will remain closed until Thursday 11 May. From Friday 12 May, 1 lane will be available per direction of travel. There is a speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour in this lane.

Major maintenance

So at least we will soon be able to drive through our old, trusted tunnel box again. But more needs to be done. The municipality had already scheduled major maintenance for 2024. But due to necessity, the work has been postponed. Unfortunately, the required grids are currently not in stock, so we have to be patient for a while. After that, it may take a while before the tunnel trough is in order again. We will keep you informed!

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