Heysen Tunnels
The Heysen Tunnels are twin tube road tunnels which carry the South Eastern Freeway under Eagle On The Hill in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia.
The portal of one of the Heysen tunnels | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Adelaide Hills south east of Adelaide |
| Route | South Eastern Freeway (2017-present) South Eastern Freeway (2000–2017) |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1998 |
| Opened | 5 March 2000 |
| Traffic | automotive, including commuters and heavy freight |
| Toll | N/A |
| Vehicles per day | 45,700 (2015)[1] |
| Technical | |
| Length | 500 metres (1,600 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 3 in each tunnel |
| Operating speed | 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph) |
| Tunnel clearance | 5.3 metres (17 ft)[2] |
Construction edit
The tunnels were excavated using a tunnelling machine normally used in heavy-duty mining operations which tunnelled through 500 metres (1,600 ft) of rock for each tunnel at an average rate of 3 metres (9.8 ft) per day.[3] The tunnels were completed in 1998 and opened in March 2000.[4][5]
Operation edit
Each tunnel carries three lanes of traffic. As at 2015, 45,700 vehicles passed through them daily.[1] The maximum height of vehicles permitted in the tunnels is 5.3 metres (17 ft), the same as the Crafers and Mt Osmond interchanges. Laser height detectors monitor traffic to provide warnings to drivers before they attempt to enter the tunnel.[2]
The tunnels are named after artist Sir Hans Heysen.
Location edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Annual Average Daily Traffic Estimates 24 hour two-way flow (PDF) (Map). Government of South Australia, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. 1 March 2015. Map MT12. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- ^ a b . Government of South Australia, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. 10 February 2015. Over-Height vehicles. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
- ^ . Government of South Australia, Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure. 13 August 2004. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
- ^ South Australia Fleetline issue 265 Match 2000 page 45
- ^ . Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019.
34°58′27″S 138°40′34″E / 34.974089°S 138.676072°E