The Oslo Fjord tunnel is temporarily closed to heavy vehicles

Hurum .Oslo Fjord tunnel.Photo : Terje Bendiksby / NTB scanpix

Following the fire in the Oslofjord tunnel on May the 5th, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) have decided to temporarily close the tunnel to heavy vehicles over 12 meters long.

The tunnel opens on Monday

‘The reason for the closure to heavy vehicles is that, as far as possible, we seek to prevent vehicles being at greater risk of fire in the tunnel when alongside heavy traffic,’ said Nils Audun Karbø, Director of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen).

Vegvesenet plans to open the tunnel on Monday the 29th of May. It will be closed to heavy vehicles in the categories of 7, 9, 15, and 18.

Repairs after the fire on May the 5th are largely completed.

‘We’ll reopen as soon as all the signs are in place, and we’ve completed the necessary tests of technical equipment. When the tunnel is reopened, we strongly request the public to respect the signs, and barriers.

Driving into a closed tunnel can threaten your own lives, and those of others,’ said Karbø.

A number of new measures have been introduced to prevent road users from entering the tunnel when there is a fire. Among them there is a new warning sign outside the tunnel, and barriers go faster when there is a red light.

The Oslo Fjord tunnel was closed after a truck burned and caused great damage.

About 500m of the 7 kilometre tunnel was damaged, with 300m being completely burned out. There was major damage to the tunnel vault, cables,the insulation behind the vault, and the road surface had to be repaired.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today