The Vlake tunnel will be closed for five days, causing several delays.
Last Tuesday, October 31, the Vlaketunnel, a crucial part of the A58 motorway and located under the Canal through Zuid-Beveland, was closed for urgent maintenance work. This tunnel, near the village of Kapelle in Zeeland, will be completely closed until Monday, November 6, causing significant traffic disruption in the region.
The Vlaketunnel, named after the nearby hamlet of Vlake, is an essential link in Zeeland's traffic network. The closure on the first day of the work immediately caused a delay of one and a half hours, which underlines the need for good preparation and alternative routes.
Rijkswaterstaat, the executing agency for the work, focuses on replacing outdated technical installations that are crucial for the safety of the tunnel. This includes camera surveillance, public address systems, intercom and part of the operating systems. These systems have reached their technical lifespan and need to be replaced.
In addition to the impact on the A58 motorway, provincial roads are also affected by the work. Traffic is being diverted in both directions, and depending on the route chosen, the additional travel time could be more than an hour.
diversion routes
Various diversion routes have been set up to guide traffic as best as possible. Among other things, traffic between Rotterdam and Middelburg will be diverted via the N57, with an expected additional travel time of 15 minutes. Traffic from Breda towards Middelburg will be diverted via Zierikzee and Burgh-Haamstede, with an additional travel time of approximately 55 minutes. All diversions are clearly indicated with yellow signs and information panels.
This is not the first time that the Vlaketunnel has required maintenance. In 2010, the tunnel underwent a thorough renovation, during which both the technical installations and the road surface were renewed. LED lighting was also installed during this renovation, a world first for tunnels.
