BIG TUNNEL FOR ROTTERDAM

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 13

BIG TUNNEL FOR ROTTERDAM

Relief For River Traffic

RIVALLING THE MERSEY

TUNNEL' One of the most important undertakings, now being carried out in Holland, is the construction of a big tunnel under the River Meuse, on which Rotterdam, the most important port of the Netherlands, is situated. When completed, this tunnel, the first of its kind in this country-will, as to its size and capacity, be surpassed in Europe only by the tunnel under the Mersey in Liverpool. The total cost of the tunnel, which will be completed in 1941, will be more than 25,000,000 guilders, including a sum of 22,000,000 guilders for the tunnel proper. The tunnel will afford considerable relief to cross-river traffic between the right and left banks ofthe Meuse in Rotterdam. The left bank was, till about 1868, still quite a rural country, with only one shipbuilding yard, but after 1870 the traffic in the port of Rotterdam began to develop quickly, and since that time the importance of the left bank as an Industrial area of the city has gradually increased. In 1878 the Willemshridge was constructed adjacent to the railway bridge across the Meuse, and developments have far surpassed the highest expectations. At present about 30 per cent, of the population of Rotterdam lives on the left bank. 30,000 New Houses. The recently projected town-plan-ning scheme provides for space for about 30,000 new dwelling houses, and land for new industries has been reserved.

The tunnel, which contains four tracks for motor traffic and separate tracks for pedestrians and cyclists will have nine concrete sections protected from water pressure by a coating of welded steel of a thickness of six millimetres.

To obtain extra protection against rust this steel coating will be covered by a thin layer of concrete. These nine sections will be floated to a position exactly above the proposed course of the tunnel and will then ne sunk into a channel across the river which will have previously been made by dredgers.

Tlie parrs of the tunnel will end on each bank in special ventilation buildings with huge installations for providing fresh air. On each bank four escalators will be available for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists.

Both the tracks for motor traffic, upon emerging from the tunnel beyond the ventilation buildings, will be joined up, after remaining separated for small distance, by a partition-wall.