Western Scheldt Tunnel

"Note: This article has been translated from the [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerscheldetunnel Dutch] version of this page."Western Scheldt Tunnel is a 6.6 kilometer tunnel in The Netherlands on highway N62 under the Western Scheldt estuary between Ellewoutsdijk and Terneuzen. It is the longest tunnel for highway traffic in The Netherlands. The tunnel was built by NV Westerscheldetunnel (the Western Scheldt Tunnel Company) with 95.4% ownership by the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management(as shareholder from The Netherlands government) and 4.6% ownership by the province of Zeeland. The tunnel was opened on 14 March 2003. Since then the automobile ferry between Flushing (Vlissingen), Breskens, Kruiningen and Perkpolder operated by the Provincial Steamboat Service (Provinciale Stoombootdiensten) in Zeeland has been discontinued.

The Western Scheldt Tunnel is a bored tunnel and consists of two tubes which were excavated by a tunnel boring machine. Each tube has room for two driving lanes, but does not have a hard shoulder. Every 250 metres, the two tunnel tubes are connected to each other by lateral connections. Normally the cross-connections are closed and locked. But in an emergency, the doors will automatically be unlocked. The traffic in the left driving lane in the other tunnel will be stopped to allow people to safely walk to the other tunnel.

The Western Scheldt Tunnel is 6.6 kilometers long and has, on the south end, over a length of 1200 metres, a section of the road with an uphill grade of 4.5%. The maximum clearance is 4.30 metres. The tunnel reaches its deepest point under the Pas van Terneuzen, 60 metres below water level.

The toll for the tunnel is collected in Ellewoutsdijk for both directions.

The tunnel is not accessible for pedestrians or cyclists, but they can make use of the bus service through the tunnel. Cyclists can travel from the toll booth in Ellewoutsdijk to the bus station in Terneuzen. The service is provided by Connexxion.

Tolls for 2008

* Motorcycles and cars: € 4.60
* Cars with caravan: € 6.80
* Small trucks, campers and buses: € 16.80
* Large trucks: € 23.00

Emergency vehicles and military vehicles are toll free.

Reduced tolls are available for subscribers (respectively € 3.60, € 5.30, € 13.00 and € 18.00). That is more expensive than the ferry over the Western Scheldt that operated before the tunnel was opened. As well, there is no reduced toll for residents of Zeelandic Flanders (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen).

Lawsuit Committee Tunnel Toll Free

In April 2006, Zeelandic Flanders citizens in cooperation with the Socialist Party of Terneuzen established the Lawsuit Committee Tunnel Toll Free (Actiecomité TunnelTolvrij.nl). The purpose of this lawsuit is first to oppose the sale of the tunnel and secondly to make the tunnel toll free.

External links

* [http://www.westerscheldetunnel.nl/index.cfm?language=en Western Scheldt Tunnel Official Web Page] In English and Dutch.