Brinje Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Brinje Tunnel is a four-lane tunnel
in Croatia
, an integral part of the A1 motorway
located between Brinje
and Žuta Lokva
interchanges. The Brinje Tunnel is located immediately to the south of the Mala Kapela Tunnel
the longest tunnel in Croatia.
The tunnel is tolled
within the A1 motorway
closed toll collection system
, and there are no separate toll plazas related to the tunnel use.
The tunnel is equipped with the most recent traffic management and security systems, including video surveillance, automatic detection of congestion and variable information traffic sign systems. There are 3 passages connecting the two tunnel tubes, accessible on foot. Naturally, the tunnel also has firefighting capabilities and fire detection systems.
Electronic equipment of the tunnel facilitates use of two UHF frequencies (HR1 102.3 MHz and HR2 97.5 MHz) and use of cell phones.
Speed limit applied in the tunnel is 100 km/h.
. The award was presented following an assessment of 150 tunnels in Europe carried out between 2005 and 2007 within the framework of European Tunnel Assessment Programme (EuroTAP), supported by the European Commission, coordinated by FIA and led by German motoring club ADAC.
. Substantial variations between annual (AADT) and summer (ASDT) traffic volumes are attributed to the fact that the motorway carries substantial tourist traffic to the Dalmatia
n Adriatic resorts. The traffic count is performed using analysis of toll ticket sales.
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, an integral part of the A1 motorway
A1 (Croatia)
The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
located between Brinje
Brinje
Brinje is a municipality in Lika-Senj County, Croatia, located about 35 miles from Gospić. According to 2001 census, Brinje had 4,108 inhabitants, out of which 92% were Croats. The municipality is part of Lika....
and Žuta Lokva
Žuta Lokva
Žuta Lokva is a village in Croatia....
interchanges. The Brinje Tunnel is located immediately to the south of the Mala Kapela Tunnel
Mala Kapela Tunnel
Mala Kapela Tunnel is the most significant structure on the Croatian A1 motorway route. As it is long , Mala Kapela Tunnel is the longest tunnel in Croatia. The tunnel is geographically located between villages of Jezerane and Modruš , and between Ogulin and Brinje motorway interchanges...
the longest tunnel in Croatia.
The tunnel is tolled
Toll tunnel
A toll tunnel is a special road tunnel whose construction and/or maintenance costs are in part recouped through a toll charged for passing through it. In some instances, tolls have been removed after retirement of the toll revenue bonds issued to raise funds for construction and/or operation of the...
within the A1 motorway
A1 (Croatia)
The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
closed toll collection system
Ticket system
A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road (also known as closed toll collection system, as opposed to a flat-rate toll road, is utilized by some state toll road or highway agencies that allows a motorist to pay a toll rate based on the number of miles traveled...
, and there are no separate toll plazas related to the tunnel use.
Characteristics
The Brinje Tunnel consists of two tubes, opened for traffic in 2004. Length of the northbound tunnel tube is 1542 metres (5,059.1 ft), while the southbound one is 2 m shorter at 1540 metres (5,052.5 ft). The northern portal of the tunnel is located at an elevation of 496 m.a.s.l., while its southern portal is found at 495 m.a.s.l. The tunnel carriageways consist of two 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) wide driving lanes and two 0.35 metres (1.1 ft) wide marginal strips. 0.9 metres (3 ft) wide inspection sidewalks are present in both of the tunnels.The tunnel is equipped with the most recent traffic management and security systems, including video surveillance, automatic detection of congestion and variable information traffic sign systems. There are 3 passages connecting the two tunnel tubes, accessible on foot. Naturally, the tunnel also has firefighting capabilities and fire detection systems.
Electronic equipment of the tunnel facilitates use of two UHF frequencies (HR1 102.3 MHz and HR2 97.5 MHz) and use of cell phones.
Speed limit applied in the tunnel is 100 km/h.
Safety
In 2007 the Brinje Tunnel was declared to be the safest tunnel in Europe in 2007 by the FIA and the German motoring club ADACADAC
The ADAC is Germany's and Europe's largest automobile club, with more than 17 million members in June 2010. It was founded on May 24, 1903 as "Deutsche Motorradfahrer-Vereinigung" and was renamed in 1911...
. The award was presented following an assessment of 150 tunnels in Europe carried out between 2005 and 2007 within the framework of European Tunnel Assessment Programme (EuroTAP), supported by the European Commission, coordinated by FIA and led by German motoring club ADAC.
Traffic volume
Traffic is regularly counted and reported by Hrvatske autoceste, operator of the motorway, and published by Hrvatske cesteHrvatske ceste
Hrvatske ceste is a Croatian state-owned company pursuant to provisions of the Croatian Public Roads Act , the county and local roads are managed by county authorities, while the motorways are managed by Croatian Motorways Ltd and other concessionaires.The company is currently administered by a...
. Substantial variations between annual (AADT) and summer (ASDT) traffic volumes are attributed to the fact that the motorway carries substantial tourist traffic to the Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n Adriatic resorts. The traffic count is performed using analysis of toll ticket sales.
| Brinje Tunnel traffic volume | ||||
| Road | Counting site | AADT | ASDT | Notes |
| A1 | 4214 Brinje south | 12,523 | 31,039 | Between Brinje and Žuta Lokva interchanges. |
See also
- A1 motorwayA1 (Croatia)The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
- Mala Kapela TunnelMala Kapela TunnelMala Kapela Tunnel is the most significant structure on the Croatian A1 motorway route. As it is long , Mala Kapela Tunnel is the longest tunnel in Croatia. The tunnel is geographically located between villages of Jezerane and Modruš , and between Ogulin and Brinje motorway interchanges...
- Sveti Rok TunnelSveti Rok TunnelThe Sveti Rok Tunnel is a highway tunnel in Lika, Croatia. It is long and it passes through the Velebit mountain. Sveti Rok Tunnel is located on a part of the between highway exits Sveti Rok and Maslenica on the A1 highway...
- List of tunnels by length