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

  • New Angolan bridge offers improved connectivity
    September 30, 2013
    Drivers in Angola are benefiting from a bridge that spans the Catumbela River, taking the place of an old structure that had proven not fit for purpose. The US$35 million cable stayed bridge is located in the highway between Benguela and Lobito, around 7km from Angola’s Atlantic coast and is one of a series of new infrastructure developments in the country. Angola suffered a long period of war that impacted on its people and infrastructure. The war resulted in severe damage to the country’s road system alon
    Read More
  • Philips CityTouch brings street lighting into focus
    December 20, 2016
    As far as 99% of any city’s population is concerned, street lights are just, well, there. But big changes are taking place, as explained by lighting systems provider Philips Lighting. Street lighting has been with us for more than a century. With the exception of the early 20th century switchover from gas to electricity and the recent most important invention of LEDs, there have been few obvious changes.
    Read More
  • Tyne tunnel's water quality checks
    February 6, 2012
    Five buoy-mounted automatic water quality monitors (AWQMs) have been installed by YSI Hydrodata engineers at the new Tyne Tunnel project in north-east England. The equipment on the second vehicle tunnel under the River Tyne, currently one of the UK's largest construction projects, aims to ensure that construction operations do not significantly affect river water quality. Unusually, the contractors have not taken ownership of the instrumentation, preferring instead to simply purchase the data and alarms. Th
    Read More
  • Brake calls for tougher sentences for UK road death drivers
    May 28, 2014
    UK road safety charity Brake has renewed calls for tougher charges and penalties for drivers who kill and injure following the publication of British government criminal justice figures for 2013. The figures show the large proportion of drivers who kill and seriously injure being let off with relatively low penalties, reinforcing the importance of a forthcoming review of charges and penalties, recently announced by government. In total, 438 drivers were convicted of causing death or bodily harm. Just over
    Read More

Highlighted Content