Arlbergtunnel
The Arlberg Straßentunnel is a 13,976 meter long traffic tunnel, making it the longest street tunnel in Austria. The tunnel forms part of the Arlberg Schnellstraße (S16) and connects Langen am Arlberg (municipality Klösterle, Vorarlberg) with Sankt Anton am Arlberg (Tirol).
The tunnel was constructed because the traffic across the Arlberg Pass became too busy and the existing Arlbergstraße (B197) stopped traffic at any given moment. Construction began on 5 July 1974, the breakthrough in the Arlberg area was reached on 9 October 1977 and on 1 December 1978 the tunnel, consisting of one tube, was released for traffic. The car tunnel, unlike other parts of the Arlberg Schnellstraße, is ankle railway. The cost of construction amounted to about three hundred million euros.
The tunnel actually consists of two tunnel shafts, as the tunnel on Tyrolean side is still crossed by the Rosannaschlucht gorge, before the tunnel penetrates the actual massive direction Vorarlberg.
For the use of the tunnel, toll fee is charged. Currently (April 2014) € 9.00 will be charged for the passage of the tunnel. Safety
As mentioned earlier in this article, the Arlberg tunnel consists of only one tube. This is not required from current safety requirements. Because the Arlbergspoortunnel is located parallel to the Arlberg car tunnel, a total of eight connecting tunnels were made by the AsFinAG and the ÖBB between both tunnels. In case of an accident or disaster in one of the two tunnels, the other tunnel may be used as access for auxiliaries and as a escape route.
These facilities were taken into use in spring 2008. On August 9, 2008, a first major disaster was taking place, where the fire brigades and authorities of Tyrol and Vorarlberg collaborated.
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