Túnel Rebouças, tunel (Rio de Janeiro, Brazylia)
The Túnel Rebouças is a road tunnel in Rio de Janeiro that cuts through the city to move traffic directly from the northern to the southern zones. It consists of two parallel tubes and carries around 190,000 vehicles daily across three lanes.
Construction began in 1962 when Rio was growing rapidly and cars were becoming more common in the city. The project opened in 1967 under Mayor Negrão de Lima, then was expanded in 1969 to connect more areas.
The tunnel is named after two engineers, André and Antônio Rebouças, who worked on major Brazilian projects in the 1800s. Their names remain part of Rio's identity and mark the contributions these brothers made to the city's development.
The tunnel is open around the clock, but speed is limited to 90 kilometers per hour and monitored by radar devices. Keep in mind that the drive through is fast and smooth since the tubes are well maintained with modern ventilation systems.
In 1987 and again in 2007, landslides caused by heavy rain blocked the tunnel, showing how nature can disrupt city infrastructure. These incidents led to improvements in safety systems and drainage facilities.
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