Tunnel of the old port in Bastia - AFTES

The tunnel of the old port of Bastia soon to be renovated!

12 October 2021 Off By Nicolas Dreuillet
The asbestos removal works, prior to the future renovation works of the tunnel of the old port of Bastia, will take place from 18 February to 11 March 2022. The possible consequences of the closure of the tunnel have been the subject of a digital public survey among users.

Preliminary work to remove asbestos from the old port tunnel

After some renovation work on the seal of the submerged caissons and the upgrading to technical safety standards in 2018, major renovation work on the tunnel of the old port of Bastia had been planned for 2020. However, a succession of events (unsuccessful call for tenders, flooding, etc.) have delayed this renovation, the first in almost 40 years.

Following this, the Corsican Community (CdC) launched studies prior to the works, which revealed the presence of asbestos in the roadways. Asbestos removal was therefore necessary before any other work could be carried out. We discovered that the pavement was filled with asbestos,” explains Loïc Morvan, director of roads at the CdC. In its current state, the asbestos in the pavement is not dangerous, except if it is removed. The presence of asbestos requires special treatment with removal to a landfill on the mainland.”

Around 5,600 tonnes of asbestos must be removed. This work, entrusted to a specialist group, will cost 3 million euros. It will require the tunnel to be closed from 18 February to 11 March 2022 due to the danger of asbestos and the regulatory framework for users.

Traffic difficulties ahead

The CdC launched a digital public survey, which ended on 10 September, to anticipate the possible difficulties caused by this closure. It collected more than 700 testimonies from users. It must be said that this tunnel, which was put into service in 1982, is very busy: around 50,000 vehicles every day. Semi-trailers will have to take the Boulevard Paoli when entering or leaving the commercial port, which is already very congested with cars.

A problem of traffic jams that worries the Bastians. For its part, the municipality sees an opportunity to promote a long-term strategy for soft mobility. It is a question of minimising the use of the car and encouraging the development of alternative modes of transport.
The choice of closure dates, during school holidays, was made to limit the impact on local life. The results of the survey have not yet been revealed, but the CCI is already planning to modify the timetables of the boats arriving in the old port of Bastia in order to limit the congestion at peak times.

So when will the tunnel be modernised?

The work has only just begun!
The renovation and modernisation of the tunnel, which belongs to the Region, should start at the end of 2022 – beginning of 2023 and should last 4 years at a cost of about 40 million euros. The aim is to comply with Annex II of Circular 2000-63 on the safety of tunnels on the national road network.
The work consists in particular of replacing electromechanical equipment, bringing safety equipment (emergency exits and safety niches), traffic equipment and centralised technical management equipment up to standard. Work on the roadway (drainage channels and asphalt) is also planned. The work will mainly be carried out at night. The appearance of the tunnel, at the end of the works, should be improved for the comfort and safety of users.
For more information on tunnel inspection and renovation
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