Last week the Brussels government took several important decisions regarding the long-term plan for investment to ensure that the capital’s tunnels reach the required standards. Beyond the rebuilding works of the roof slab in progress, the construction work on the Montgomery tunnel also revolves around the reconstruction of the Dietrich tunnel, deemed necessary after in-depth analysis of the concrete. The Minister for Public Works, Pascal Smet, indicated following the meeting that the works schedule will suffer a delay of two weeks through to December.
The budget for these works totals 589,756 euros. Still in accordance with current options for the long-term plan, the Brussels ministers accepted Mr Smet’s proposals to proceed with giving the tunnels of the Reyers-Meiser, Meiser-Reyers, Montgomery-E40, and the E40-Montgomery carriageways their roofing facelifts, before completing the redevelopment of the road surfaces, which are presently without any form of proper roadway.
Administrative procedures are under way with the beginning of the works planned for mid-2017.
The government also approved the proposal to start in September, jointly with communes and inhabitants, the study for the final redevelopment of the road. The objective is that the final works will be completed by mid-2019.
There will be no temporary redevelopment of the road owing to the length of time it is anticipated the tunnel roof renovations will take (currently estimated at two years).
The anticipated cost of this work is 22 million euros.
Concerning the Rogier tunnel, the water-tightness reinstatement works have now entered their second phase, with a few days in hand. The traffic will be affected until the end of August.
Lastly, Smet stated that the tunnel renovation works for the Stéphanie tunnel will be undertaken seven days a week, in two or even three shifts, whenever feasible. Barring any unforeseen set back, the Stéphanie tunnel will reopen at the end of August.
(Source: Belga)
