Italy and France are closer again thanks to the reopening of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which has reopened after 15-weeks.
The tunnel is 11.6 kilometres long
The tunnel was opened again in the late evening of 16 December, after the 15-week stoppage for maintenance work and a total investment of €24 million. The works included maintenance on the tunnel vault, reflecting the importance of this project for the two concessionary companies, SITMB for the Italian side, and ATMB for the French side. At 11.6 kilometres long, the Mont Blanc Tunnel is one of the longest road tunnels in Europe and a crucial axis for travel between Italy and France. The reopening represents a breath of fresh air for the environment and for businesses.
“More than 150,000 working hours”
Built 60 years ago and used daily by thousands of vehicles, the 11.6 km-long bidirectional infrastructure “requires major civil engineering work,” the two companies explained at the end of August. The two “test projects for vault rehabilitation” ended ‘after 105 days of round-the-clock activity for more than 150 workers, which equals “more than 150,000 working hours.” The closure also allowed various other civil, plant and exterior works to be carried out. The tunnel closure period was chosen because the autumn season is the lowest in terms of traffic, particularly light vehicles, 68% of the traffic.
