Tunnel Maurice-Lemaire
The 6872 meter long Maurice Lemaire Tunnel in France, usually referred to as a tunnel de Sainte -Marie -aux -Mines, in 1937 as a railway tunnel on the route Sélestat - opens Saint -Dié - Lesseux - Frapelle. Since 1976, the national route is 59 (which here as an alternative route called RN 159 ) toll passes, which is the longest road tunnel in France, arose. The road connects Sainte -Marie -aux -Mines and Saint- Dié and saves the traffic the switchbacks over the pass Col de Sainte -Marie. Was named the tunnel after the former Director General of the French state railway SNCF and Minister in France (1951-1978) Maurice Lemaire (1895-1979), who advocated for the modernization of the tunnel.
Original planning
Since 1866 there were the first considerations for the construction of a tunnel to make the region "behind" the Vosges region more accessible for France. The annexation of Alsace- Lorraine to the German Empire after the Franco-German war 1870/1871 first prevented realization. With the reincorporation by the Versailles Treaty of 1919, the project was resumed.
In parallel, a line was projected further north through the Vosges, which immediately ended in Strasbourg and already was completed in 1920. Also in this line had to be only a few kilometers north of the Maurice Lemaire Tunnel, considered a tunnel, the Tunnel de Lubine which had the peculiarity to the West to open twice, because the route in the mountain described a 180 -degree angle. This tunnel no longer exists, since the route was changed.
1937 was the route of the Réseau ferroviaire d' Alsace-Lorraine, including tunnels are opened for rail traffic. Although he was actually provided on a track, but two tracks were laid, since a larger tunnel cross section was determined based on the length, in order to improve the ventilation of locomotive qualms. Within the tunnels of smoke at that time was a big problem. The route runs completely straight in the direction northwest-southeast and is quite accessible directed at a 45 - degree arc at both inputs in each tunnel direction. On the Saint- Dié side the tunnel portal is located at 440 m above sea level. NN, in Sainte -Marie to about 380 m above sea level. The gradient is thus 8.8 ‰.
Use in World War II
Between March and September 1944, the tunnel was confiscated and converted as a factory for aircraft parts. As workers the inmates of the concentration camp Struthof served. In a hurry a satellite camp for 800 people was built at the eastern end of the tunnel at Sainte -Marie- aux- Mines ( Markirch ). A majority of the prisoners came from the region Tržič in today's Slovenia. From this historical event results in the existing since 1966 partnership between the cities of Sainte -Marie -aux -Mines and Tržič '. Together with the main camp there was " evacuated " in September 1944 to Dachau. In the course book from the autumn of 1944 states: " route Markirch - St. Dié until further not in service ".
Conversion in a road tunnel
With the liberation of France, the tunnel was returned to its original use as a rail line. 1973 decided the SNCF railway administration to close the route and sell the tunnel to the regional administration. Already since 1966 were available plans, which provided for a conversion as a road tunnel. The National Highway 59 has so far been passed over a mountain pass that led to up to 772 meters in height. It was not always the road to keep snow and ice. After a reconstruction of the road tunnel was opened in February 1976. The tunnel itself and the access road from St. Dié from had the number 159 get because the pass road still operated under No. 59. This designation was at the apex, which is also a border between Alsace and Lorraine, as amended on the mountain side to Sainte -Marie in D 459, because the maintenance obligation should not be the responsibility of the state, but the community. A large part of the road runs through the village of Sainte -Marie.
Of the average 3,400 vehicles pass through the tunnel daily, about 40 % trucks. It is an important traffic artery that significantly increased the economic attractiveness of the Vosges border region from the beginning. For transport of dangerous goods, the tunnel is not allowed.
A further conversion
The catastrophic fire in the Mont Blanc tunnel in March 1999, in which 39 people died, prompting the operator of the Maurice Lemaire Tunnel, implement basic security standards. The tunnel was initially blocked for trucks, from April 2004 for all traffic, so that safety devices could be installed. A central structure was new, a second of parallel security tunnel with a diameter of six meters. This is connected to the main tunnel at regular intervals. Since October 2008, the tunnel is again the traffic.
After the conversion, the drive-through toll has risen significantly and is now 8,00 € for cars and motorcycles for 5.60 euros. The extreme increase in the heavy traffic of around 10 to 63 euro meant that many trucks prefer the pass route for reasons of cost, which represents a considerable burden on the neighboring villages.