Do you like dark holes?
Do ghost train rides really turn you on?
Then you are not only in the perfect place on Austria's motorways, but also just right with our video;) Accompany us with my 27-year-old Honda Africa Twin through the tunnel and I may tell you a few facts about this structure while driving.
Of course, because of our mountains, we Austrians love digging tunnels. Our entire tunnel system on roads and highways has a total length of 404 kilometers. 175 tunnels can be used in the Alpine Republic. And today we are taking the longest road tunnel in Austria with a double tube, which also is the second longest road tunnel in Europe: the Plabutsch tunnel. And guess who (in his opinion) has the longest one?
Of course our friends and southern neighbors: the spaghettis -
I have no car, I have Ducati and I have the longest!
Our Plabutsch tunnel is exactly 10 km and 85 m long. The Italians have the longest one, the
Gran Schasso D Italia
, just because - in contrast to us - they built a concrete roof several hundred meters long on both sides of their tunnel, and they consider that this building shall be a part of this tunnel, too.
But back to Austria and a few facts about the Plabutsch tunnel:
As I said, it is over 10 km long, it consists of 2 tubes, each, as you can see, has 2 lanes in the respective direction.
The Construction of the tunnel began in 1980 and was completed in 1987. At first there was just one tube with oncoming traffic. Then, in the year 2004, the second tube was completed - and this time the construction time was just 5 years … yes ... practice makes perfect ...
The Plabutsch tunnel is one of the safest road tunnels ever. The following safety devices are available:
Every 106 meters there is a fire extinguishing niche (total 87 of them) and tunnel extinguishing systems in all nine built-in niches.
An emergency niche every 212 meters, equipped with an emergency telephone, two fire extinguishers and in the front area each with an emergency call and fire alarm button.
Completely continuous fire detection sensors (the FibroLaser II system).
Full cross ventilation with six ventilation sections per tunnel tube.
Ten supply and extract air machines each.
90 exhaust air blinds at a distance of 106 meters, with which smoke can be extracted in a targeted manner above the source of the fire.
Continuous monitoring with TV cameras with central image recording and image evaluation.
Tunnel radio for emergency services, the most important radio stations and traffic radio coverage also work in both tubes.
Continuous, brightly reflecting four meter high coating.
Bright halos to interrupt the tunnel monotony.
Curb reflectors on both sides of the road.
Improved escape route orientation lights in order to be able to signal a recommended escape direction to the person seeking help.
Emergency power supply for emergency lighting and escape route orientation lighting as well as for the control and monitoring systems.
4 passable cross-passages (connections from one tunnel tube to the other) for all emergency vehicles and for any traffic diversions
13 additional walkable cross-passages that can be used as an escape route for pedestrians into the neighboring tube.
2 separate emergency exits for all vehicle traffic directly out of the tunnel into the city area of the Styrian capital: Graz
So: If you are not used to tunnel driving as a non-Austrian person, then do not be afraid - and you can drive the 100 km / h, which is the speed limit and is monitored by section control, without problems and any fear. "
That s it for today: Thank you for your interest, maybe one time we will meet personally in the tunnel. But seriously: I wish you and your family an accident-free trip, do not let them get you down ! And see you next time!
#motorcycle #travel #technology
2 окт 2024
