Tunnel, Tunneltraverse op beide oevers Rotterdam

English translation

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Description

Complex Component 6

Introduction

Designed around 1939, a partially sunken TUNNEL TRAVERSE on both sides of the river tunnel, as part of the traffic route in the extension of the Statenweg and Doklaan. The incorporation of this new traffic phenomenon of the tunnel traverse into the historic urban fabric of Rotterdam was conceived by the Director of Public Works, W.G. Witteveen, as an urban planning question that imposed special technical and architectural requirements. The entry of traffic from the direction of The Hague lay in the middle of the expansion plan Overschie/Blijdorp. Through the profiling of the road, which became narrower towards the centre and the small squares which at regular intervals created an opening towards the neighbouring district behind, the speed of the motorist was gradually reduced, until arriving at the entrance to Blijdorp at a large traffic junction, where the through local roads branch off. In the construction of the road in the existing city, one had to work economically with the space to which the tunnel traverse was designed.

Description

The route of the TUNNEL TRAVERSE consists, successively from north to south, of the following urban sequence: from Bentinckplein the Statenweg, Henegouwerlaan, 's-Gravendijkwal, Maastunnel, Doklaan and Maastunnelplein with grade-separated crossings/viaducts at the level of the Beukelsdijk, the Mathenesserlaan, the Nieuwe Binnenweg, the Droogleever Fortuynplein and the Brielselaan. The route forms both an urban planning and traffic engineering ensemble and has been treated as such. The traverse is characterised, besides the underpasses, by few on and off ramps and separated carriageways and is, with the exception of the railway underpass Statentunnel and the tunnel beneath the viaduct at the level of the Droogleever Fortuynplein, which contain separate cycle tunnels in the extension of the cycle paths, accessible exclusively to through motor traffic. With the traverse, a height difference of approximately 5 metres is bridged. The tunnel traverse, consisting of two carriageways for motor traffic, each 6 metres wide, separated by a raised central strip, is founded on concrete piles and executed in a number of reinforced concrete segments: respectively two ramps in box section, two tubular underpasses at the level of the Mathenesserlaan and the Nieuwe Binnenweg and an open sunken section in box section between the two underpasses. The sober design of this infrastructure structure is enlivened by a bay division in the concrete side walls. At the top the walls are covered by bands of artificially manufactured decorative stone. In the underpasses the walls are clad with grey-green tiles. Both at the Nieuwe Binnenweg and at the Mathenesserlaan there is an underground building, respectively for a transformer house and a small pumping station for the drainage of rainwater. On both sides of the traverse, plane trees have been planted along the service roads. The length of the total Maastunnel route is, including the 552.15 m long tunnel, approximately two kilometres.

Valuation

TUNNEL TRAVERSE on both sides of the Maastunnel with associated components and avenue planting as a historically functional part of the Maastunnel complex of general importance because of cultural-historical value, as well as because of innovative urban planning and traffic engineering value.