France-Italy tunnel in the spotlight for safety

An investigation is now being carried out into the safety of the new Col de Tende Road Tunnel project, currently being built.
June 27, 2017 Read time: 1 min

An investigation is now being carried out into the safety of the new Col de Tende Road Tunnel project, currently being built. Concerns have been raised about the strength of the concrete being used in the construction. A number of personnel from firms involved in the project have already been arrested on fraud and theft charges, with police actively investigating several high profile figures.

However an official statement has been released saying that there is no immediate danger with regard to the tunnel’s safety. Costing €280 million in all, the new Col de Tende Road Tunnel is due for completion in 2020. The link will be tolled, with a concession deal paying for the project.

The existing Tende tunnel was constructed in 1882 and is one of the oldest road tunnels in the world. However the 3.2km link can only handle traffic moving in a single direction, which leads to delays for users who often have to queue for up to 20 minutes at a red traffic light. Many drivers opt to take the Mont-Bland or Frejús tunnels instead as a result.

Road Structures

Related Content

  • Crash barriers aid vehicle protection, road safety
    February 8, 2012
    Barrier and crash cushion systems can make a great deal of difference to roadway safety, with new technology offering major benefits to road users. In North America and Western Europe, concrete centre line dividers are being used for many major highways as these provide a durable solution for preventing cross-over accidents with large vehicles such as heavy trucks. It is worth noting too that other countries are now adopting concrete barriers for highway centre line dividers also, with this system being use
    Read More
  • Smart road surfacing in a tunnel
    August 19, 2022
    Smart road construction techniques have been used in the widest tunnel in Switzerland. Efficient operation and logistics were required for paving a width of 11.5m in the Gubrist Tunnel and contractor Marti AG Solothurn Bauunternehmung made good use of Vögele’s WITOS Paving Plus technology to optimise its work on the project.
    Read More
  • Italy’s resurgence
    June 22, 2020
    Despite the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy – one of the world’s hardest hit nations –the Genoa Bridge replacement continues, with more deck sections in position
    Read More
  • Fluor and ACS Infrastructure Canada win Gordie Howe Bridge deal
    October 2, 2018
    Bridging North America will build the Gordie Howe Bridge, named after a famous Canadian ice hockey player and leading scorer A partnership including Fluor Canada and ACS Infrastructure Canada has been chosen to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. The client, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), announced the appointment of Bridging North America group in the Canadian city of Windsor, across the Detroit River from Detroit in the US state of Michig
    Read More

Highlighted Content