Key UK tunnel opens

The UK's new Hindhead Tunnel is now open to traffic. The ?420 million (£371 million) tunnel runs under the Devil's Punch Bowl in Surrey and will reduce congestion, while boosting safety on the busy A3 route.
February 27, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The UK's new Hindhead Tunnel is now open to traffic. The €420 million (£371 million) tunnel runs under the Devil's Punch Bowl in Surrey and will reduce congestion, while boosting safety on the busy A3 route. The 1.8km tunnel has taken four-and-a-half years to construct and lies on the London-to-Portsmouth A3 road. The twin-bore tunnel is one of the longest in England and will be used by 30,000 vehicles/day. The new tunnel will allow the existing A3, between the National Trust cafe and Boundless Road, to be closed to through-traffic. The tunnel forms part of a 6.4km bypass of the Surrey village of Hindhead. The project will remove a major source of congestion thus benefiting motorists and the local community whilst also cutting pollution to preserve the Area of National Beauty that is the Devil's Punch Bowl. The scheme commenced in 2007 with the tunnel being dug the following year and has won awards for its innovations and safety record. The tunnel itself contains state-of-the-art safety features, including the UK's first radar-based incident detection system and 100% CCTV coverage. Another innovative addition was the inclusion of 2696 Astucia Hardwired Bi-Directional Studs which will stream light and guide motorists safely through the tunnel. In October 2010, 868 2696 Astucia Hardwired Bi-Directional studs were installed split equally between the two tunnel bores. The studs are bi-directional meaning they emit a full 180 °of illumination when switched from uni-directional to bi-directional delineation when in the contra flow mode.
Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • UK widening contract awarded to
    September 21, 2015
    A joint venture formed of Balfour Beatty and Carillion has won the tender process for a €401 million (£292 million) road widening package in the UK. The joint venture will commence with preparatory works worth €686,680 (£500,000) initially as the main contract is subject to approval of the wider A14 improvement scheme. The aim of the joint venture’s work is to upgrade the A14 between Swavesey and Milton. This forms part of the wider A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon road improvement scheme. The joint venture is a
    Read More
  • Italy's strategic tunnel link
    August 21, 2012
    The world's largest tunnelling machine is completing Italy's important road connection between Bologna and Florence - Adrian Greeman reports For just under a decade a huge programme of highway construction has been underway in the mountainous region between Bologna and Florence, realigning a section of the A1 highway nearly 70km long. The new section, through major tunnels and across high viaducts, will greatly increase capacity on Italy's most important highway.
    Read More
  • New Zealand’s Waterview project is moving closer to completion
    December 13, 2016
    New Zealand’s biggest road project is less than a year away from completion, and a lot of progress has been made since World Highways last looked at the project two years ago - Mary Searle Bell reports New Zealand’s Waterview project is moving closer to completion and will be the largest road project in the country. The NZ$2 billion Western Ring Route will see the creation of an alternative motorway to State Highway 1, which runs through the centre of Auckland. The 47km-long motorway will allow a large p
    Read More
  • New Midtown Tunnel open in Virginia
    January 30, 2017
    A project to construct the second Midtown Tunnel link in the US state of Virginia alongside the original connection has taken an important step forward – Mike Woof writes Commuters in the US state of Virginia will be pleased that the new Midtown Tunnel is now open to traffic, as it will help to boost capacity and cut congestion on the busy US 58 route connecting Norfolk and Portsmouth. The 1.13km tunnel link has been built to link with the interchange at Brambleton Avenue and Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk
    Read More

Highlighted Content