For a moment it was pitch dark in the third tube of the Buitenvelderrttunnel at 7 o’clock on November 4th. Luckily, it was short-lived and completely planned, as within seconds the construction lights came on. That was the signal for Vialis employees to get to work in providing this tube with high-tech tunnel installations as well. This marks an important milestone, as it means that two of the three tubes of the Buitenvelderttunnel are now finished.
Published on: 15 November 2018
Tube swap
This “tube swap” took place the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of November. Traffic was allowed to flow through the improved tube C again while the third and final tube (tube D) was taken out of use. Just like the other two tubes, this third tube will be fitted with ventilators on the ceiling, aid stations on the wall, fireproof plating on the ceiling, an emergency broadcasting system and many more installations that further increase the safety of the tunnel. In doing so, we are in compliance with the improved tunnel safety law.
Hightech tunnels
Less visible for the road user, but at least as important are the underlying technologies and IT. The camera systems, emergency broadcast installation, crossing barriers and the lighting; it will all be connected to a central system; the Tunnel Control System. The tunnel system in turn needs to “talk” to Schiphol’s IT-systems. A lot of programming went into this and there are tens of kilometers of cables in this 500-meter tunnel.