Belchentunnel

The Ballon Tunnel is a 3180 meter long twin-tube road tunnel in the A2 motorway in Switzerland. It connects Eptingen in the canton of Basel-Land with Hägendorf in the canton of Solothurn and belongs to the major north - south route from Basel to Lucerne - Germany - Italy and Bern.

Prehistory

Until the construction of the A2 motorway and the tunnel the traffic from the north-western Switzerland and Germany on country roads and the Upper or Lower Hauenstein Pass led to the Mittelland ( Switzerland ). As the road grew more and up to 3,500 cars crammed on peak days through the gate of Liestal, began years of planning and thorough research of geologists for a national highway through Arisdorfer and Diegtertal and through a tunnel under the Ballon. In February 1960 the buildings finally the green light was given.

Construction

Between 1963 and 1966, the drills worked the Jurassic rock. They dug two tubes with 40 meters distance through the mountains. Seven cross passages connecting the two roadways, of which three ventilation chimneys lead to the surface. The northern portal is at 605 m above sea level. M., on the southern 610 m above sea level. M. and the culmination to 618 m above sea level. M. The first breakdown took place on 16 October 1964 and on 8 June 1966, the tunnel was opened to traffic.

Renewal

Due to the enormous mountain pressure by the water-bearing anhydrite (calcium sulfate), gypsum and Tonmineralienschichten were flaking and deformation of tunnel walls and the tunnel floor visible after a short time. Therefore, the tunnel was for nine months twice to the site. In the years 2001-2003 were blocked for renovation work one each tunnel tube. In addition to the repairs of the tunnel has also been adapted to the latest safety requirements. Through the operation of only a tube with oncoming traffic, there was at times excessive traffic delays and kilometers of traffic jams on both sides of the tunnel.

Future

To avoid congestion in renovation and maintenance work and always have two tubes with two lanes in operation, a third tube in addition to the two existing dug into the mountain. On 26 March 2003, the Federal Council and then the voters of the two cantons of Basel -Landschaft and Solothurn approved the project of renovation tunnel Ballon. So to the future in normal operation, the two outer tubes are busy and serve the central tube as an escape and rescue tunnel or as driving tunnel at the annual maintenance and servicing.

For information about current projects in and around the tunnel Ballon d' you can learn more about the tunnel and project homepage.

Data

1980-83 circulated in the region, the modern legend of the "white woman from Bölchentunnel " (also The White Lady of the Ballon d' tunnel ) of a ghost that spoke to motorists. About This phenomenon was also a 2012 short film titled di wyssi Frou ... rotated.