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The Kil tunnel is in need of major maintenance. The installations are at the end of their service life and the concrete work needs thorough repair. And while maintenance is being done, Wegschap Tunnel Dordtse Kil is also scrutinizing the safety and convenience of road users and employees on the access roads, the toll plaza and escalators, in the tunnel and offices.
The Tunnel Dordtse Kil connects the N217 from 's Gravendeel with the N3 towards Dordrecht. The tunnel's owner, Wegschap Tunnel Dordtse Kil, has been monitoring the tunnel's condition for years and notes that the time has now come for major and widespread maintenance. "The concrete is showing damage, the installations are out of date and the work areas could be safer and more comfortable," lists Kiltunnel director Arie Bras.
Meanwhile, all points of interest have been inventoried. The entire board was involved and the expertise of Ingenieursbureau Drechtsteden was called in to produce a clear project specification. In early 2019, the plan was ready for a Public European Tender. "In this, the contractor combination sKILs - a combination of Dynniq & Mourik Infra - came out on top," Bras says. "This one took on the further engineering together with us in this so-called 'construction team phase'. I suspect we will need ten months for this. After this period we will see if we can come to a price agreement, so that we can conclude a building contract. In that case, the major maintenance can still start this year."
For Bras, involvement in the construction team phase is very important. "In this phase, it is important to continually head towards the final product. Together we have to find the best solution for each situation and give detailed direction to it. The Kiltunnel is a toll tunnel. The tolls are necessary for operating expenses such as loan repayments, employee salaries and maintenance of the entire area including the tunnel, toll plaza and buildings. It is up to us to handle this responsibly. The things we do must be efficient, useful and necessary."
The toll plaza in 1977.
The number of installations for the well-functioning of the tunnel and the buildings around it is large. All tunnel technical and traffic installations are being replaced. These include safety facilities, electrical installations, LED lighting, signaling, fire extinguishing systems, waste water drainage, communication facilities and control and operating systems. Bras: "In 2002 these installations were checked and repaired where necessary; vulnerable parts were replaced. This guaranteed safety, but you can't keep doing this.
Parts are increasingly difficult to obtain, and once they fall into the "specialties" group, the price also rises. Now that the overall project is being modernized, it is time to switch to state of the art installations. Good and solid, no more and no less."
Another concern with the new installations is the customer-friendliness of the tunnel. Questions show that certain measures are not always clear to road users. Bras: "For example, we are regularly asked why there is a cross above a certain lane. In the future we want to explain this immediately via an information panel. We will then keep better contact with our clients."
The escalator for cyclists will be in a bright, transparent environment.
Unlike the major maintenance in 2002, repairs to the concrete structures are now required. Inspections have revealed settlement differences, collision damage, leaks and deformed joint crossings, among other things. "All of this is being repaired," Bras said. "In particular, the joint transitions will be cleaned. If these joints are soiled, the concrete can no longer respond to temperature differences and we run the risk of the concrete moving in the wrong direction. The joint transitions will also be fitted with so-called 'whisper joints' for noise damping and greater driving comfort. After the concrete maintenance, the entire tunnel will look bright and fresh again."
The toll plaza dates back to the 1970s and is still configured to the standards of that era. In the meantime, much more is technically possible. Thus, in the new situation, it is possible to pay with all modern means of payment at every gateway. So also contactless, by debit card or one's own RFID (Tele)card.
Employees can safely access their workstations via a walkway.
With the expansion of the number of access gates from three to five, Wegschap Tunnel Dordtse Kil is responding to increasing traffic. The increased capacity should ensure better traffic flow. Currently, traffic jams are still the order of the day during rush hour because drivers choose the wrong toll lane. With five entrance gates, the board expects a more constant flow, even in case of minor calamities such as a driver running out of money in front of the barrier.
And then there is the safety aspect. "That, of course, is about the safety of road users," Bras explains. "They can count on better signage, lighting and explanation. With dynamic signs they will soon be able to anticipate situations earlier. The escalator for cyclists will be in a light, transparent environment, creating a safe environment. But safety also includes the work situation of our employees. They will soon be working in a new office, from which they can safely reach their workplace in the toll plaza via a footbridge. Parking spaces will also be created on the north and south sides. Crossing 'into traffic' will then be a thing of the past.
The expansion from three to five gateways will improve traffic flow.
Sustainability plays a major role in all measures. These should reduce maintenance and management costs, energy consumption and CO2 and particulate matter. With solar panels, good insulation and a smart design in terms of material selection, Wegschap Tunnel Dordtse Kil is aiming for an energy-neutral - also known as 'ENG' - building. If the solar panels generate too much energy, the surplus is used for the tunnel installations. Sustainable choices are also made in the choice of building materials. For example, green piles are used and the guide rails are made of FSC-certified wood.
The large-scale maintenance of the Dordt Tunnel will take at least two years. Nevertheless, the board of Wegschap Tunnel Dordtse Kil wants the tunnel's accessibility to be minimally disrupted during this period. Therefore, new facilities will be built alongside the existing facilities as much as possible. The existing facilities will remain in use until it is certain that the new facilities can take over the work. For the same reason, the new toll plaza will be built next to the current one and the office building will move to the other side of the road. Only occasionally will traffic have one less lane at its disposal or face a tunnel closure.
"We are going to keep all stakeholders - motorists, cyclists, walkers, local residents - optimally informed about the course of events," Bras concludes. "The major maintenance of the tunnel requires thorough preparation. We are currently working on that. The actual maintenance is expected to start at the end of this year."
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