Kherrata Tunnel
.jpg) | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Official name | نفق خراطة |
| Location | Algeria |
| Coordinates | 36°29′56″N 5°16′20″E / 36.498889°N 5.272222°E |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1988 |
| Technical | |
| Operating speed | 80 km/h |
Kherrata Tunnel is a road tunnel located in the municipality of Kherrata, pierced under the Babors, connecting the province of Béjaïa to that of Sétif. With a length of 7 km, it is the longest road tunnel in Algeria. The Kherrata tunnel consists of a single gallery for two-way traffic.
History[edit]
The Kherrata tunnel was built by an Italian company. The structure was inaugurated in 1988 by the Algerian Minister of Transport.[1] In 2014, modernization works were carried out on the tunnel by a Spanish firm. The program included the replacement of lighting systems, ventilation and smoke extraction, and video surveillance.[2]
On June 17, 2017, a vehicle caught fire inside the tunnel. The fire did not cause any casualties. The tunnel was closed to traffic for several hours, resulting in a complete halt of road traffic on National Road 9. In confined spaces like tunnels, fires pose a high risk due to the difficulties of evacuating suffocating smoke, which is extremely dangerous for users.
Characteristics[edit]
The Kherrata tunnel consists of three consecutive tunnels, with a total length of approximately 7 km. It is the longest road tunnel in Africa.
Traffic flows through a single tube with 2 × 1 lanes. The speed is limited to 80 km/h, and a safe distance between each vehicle is now required.
Usage[edit]
The daily traffic through the tunnel exceeds 22,000 vehicles, reaching peaks of 30,000, especially during the summer season. Heavy trucks, which account for 45% of the traffic, are not allowed to use the tunnel in the ascending direction.
References[edit]
- ^ "Béjaïa : Le tunnel de kherrata fermé jusqu'au 25 septembre". www.algerie360.com (in French). 2014-09-09. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
- ^ "À Béjaïa, le tunnel de Kherrata fermé à la circulation pendant 16 jours | TSA-Algérie" (in French). Retrieved 2023-07-14.
