Burnley Tunnel, tunnel in Victoria, Australia
The Burnley Tunnel is a road tunnel beneath Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, passing under the Yarra River and connecting the West Gate Freeway to the Monash Freeway. The structure stretches about 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) and features three eastbound lanes with an oval cross-section and a minimum height of 4.9 meters (16 feet).
Construction took place between 1996 and 2000 under companies Transfield and Obayashi, with the tunnel opening to traffic in December 2000. Soon after opening, structural issues emerged including a wall crack with water infiltration in 2001, followed by a serious accident involving fire and explosions in March 2007 that claimed three lives.
Vehicles can travel at speeds up to 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour), though the limit may reduce during heavy traffic or maintenance. Pedestrians and bicycles are not permitted, and trucks taller than about 4.65 meters (15 feet) cannot use the tunnel.
The first paying driver, Ben Johnstone, traveled through the tunnel shortly after opening while being broadcast live on radio, making it a notable occasion. Before opening to traffic, the public had a rare chance to walk through the tunnel to experience the newly completed structure firsthand.
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