Rantaväylä tunnel – robust road infrastructure in the middle of the city

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Tunnels are among the most challenging and technically advanced segments of road infrastructure. Responding to disruptions requires continuous monitoring and immediate actions to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow in the tunnel. This situational awareness can be achieved with tunnel management solutions.

The Tampere road traffic tunnel, known as the Rantaväylä tunnel or Rantatunneli, features Finland’s most advanced tunnel traffic and safety technology management solution implemented by Nodeon.

The tunnel management solution enables monitoring of traffic conditions using nearly 150 incident detection and surveillance cameras, along with measurement loops installed under the road surface. Air quality, adequate airflow, and visibility inside the tunnel are monitored at over 30 measurement points. Additionally, 16 kilometers of fire detection fiber optic cable installed in the tunnel ceiling ensures precise detection of potential fire locations within a few meters accuracy.

Safety technology ensures smooth and safe traffic

A precise situational awareness enables efficient management of the tunnel. The tunnel management system ensures the collaboration of all data collection and control devices, as well as subsystems in the tunnel.

Traffic flow is ensured by over a hundred traffic control and guidance devices that adapt to various situations in traffic. Ventilation is managed by 75 blowers regulated based on environmental measurements. Lighting is automatically adjusted to match daylight intensity for optimal visibility upon entry. In case of fire, Finland’s tunnels are equipped with a unique sprinkler system that can spray a mist across the entire tunnel width if needed.

Comprehensive safety technology also requires robust infrastructure. The tunnel’s power supply is secured with a typical 20-kilovolt electrical distribution system used by electricity companies, and its water treatment capacity is comparable to a large spa. Inside the tunnel, mobile network and emergency services’ Virve network operation are ensured, with connectivity to emergency services from over 50 points. The tunnel’s data transmission network meets data center reliability standards and is connected via two different fiber routes to the Tampere Road Traffic Control Center, which operates the system 24/7.

Not all of these aspects may come to mind when driving through the tunnel.