National motorway company DARS has announced that maintenance will begin on Tuesday in the Karavanke/Karawanken tunnel between Slovenia and Austria that will require a switch to alternating one-way traffic for the rest of the year, an exception being the May holidays and the summer.
The single-tube tunnel linking Slovenia and Austria on the A2 motorway will moreover be completely closed for traffic from midnight to 4 AM from 3 February to 17 April and again from 5 to 16 May.
Sunday nights will be the only exception.
The 8,019-metre tunnel is Slovenia's longest tunnel and is traversed by thousands of lorries each day.
It has been closed due to accidents and maintenance numerous times since it opened in 1991 and is considered risky despite numerous upgrades over the years.
Plans are afoot to construct a second tube, but ground is yet to be broken on the EUR 300m project.
Meanwhile, no serious congestions were reported yesterday from the four dilapidated bridges in different parts of the country on which alternating one-way traffic was introduced during the weekend before the much needed repair works start.
The news comes as procedures are under way to secure a contractor for the repairs needed at a total of 15 bridges that the national Roads Agency finds too dangerous for heavy lorries or two-way traffic.
Apart from the alternating one-way traffic at the four bridges, traffic signs were set up at the remaining 11 which impose weight restrictions.
The agency has made available for drivers an overview of possible alternative routes, which are provided by the Traffic Information Centre for Public Roads.
Source: TheSloveniaTimes
