After two years of construction work and an investment of 32 million euros, the renovation of the Porte de Hal tunnel in Brussels is finished. The infrastructure now includes several artistic elements. The tunnel will still have to be closed at night for a few weeks, for final adjustments and tests, but will be open permanently as of February.
"The tunnel is completely transformed: floor, ceiling, walls, electricity, ventilation," Brussels Minister for Mobility said at the site’s presentation to the press Wednesday. "This is an intelligent tunnel, of which we have remote control. »
Everything can be controlled without having to enter the tunnel. Particular attention was paid to fire devices. Already lit with green LED lights, in case of an incident, the emergency exits become even more visible, thanks to luminous spotlights.
Artistic elements have been added to the interior. "This is the first time in Brussels that art is displayed in a tunnel. Motorists will best enjoy this scenography when traveling at 50 km/h," according to Mr. Smet. "If the traffic is slowed or stopped, they will notice more detail. »
This creative approach will be applied to other tunnels which the Brussels Region still needs to modernize. "In the Leopold II tunnel, we'll add images of prehistoric animals. In the Belliard tunnel, it will be a European theme," the minister added.
As it is next to the Porte de Hal, the Fuse nightclub will organise a Saturday night party in the new tunnel. The 2,000 tickets were sold in five hours.
The Brussels Times
