René Konen Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The René Konen Tunnel colloquially known as the Saint Esprit Tunnel , is a 655 m (2,149 ft) road tunnel
in Luxembourg City in southern Luxembourg
. It carries two lane
s of one-way traffic
northwards, under Ville Haute
, bypassing the narrow streets and pedestrian zone in the heart of the city.
At the southern end (49.60820°N 6.13260 °W), the tunnel is fed by the Passerelle
, which carries traffic from Gare
, on the southern side of the Pétrusse
valley. At 100 metres (330 ft), the tunnel bears to its right, before heading back to the left in a long, sweeping bend. At its northern end (49.61367°N 6.13167 °W), the tunnel emerges just to the west of the Alzette
valley. The road onto which it leads then divides into two, feeding the Boulevard Royal
to the west and the Côte d'Eich to the north.
In 1998 it was officially named after René Konen
, a member of the Democratic Party
, who served from 1979 till 1984 as Minister for Public Works in the Pierre Werner cabinet, and who initiated the tunnel's construction.
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 Luxembourg City in southern Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. It carries two lane
Lane
A lane is a part of the roadway within a road marked out for use by a single line of vehicles in such a way as to control and guide drivers for the purpose of reducing traffic conflicts. Most public roads have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each direction, separated by Lane markings...
s of one-way traffic
One-way traffic
One-way traffic is traffic that moves in a single direction. A one-way street is a street either facilitating only one-way traffic, or designed to direct vehicles to move in one direction.-General signs:...
northwards, under Ville Haute
Ville Haute
Ville Haute is a quarter in central Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.In 2001, the quarter had a population of 2,686 people.It is the historical center of Luxembourg City and is involved in its UNESCO World Heritage Site status....
, bypassing the narrow streets and pedestrian zone in the heart of the city.
At the southern end (49.60820°N 6.13260 °W), the tunnel is fed by the Passerelle
Passerelle
The Passerelle, also known as the Luxembourg Viaduct, is a viaduct in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It runs southwards from the city centre, Ville Haute, carrying road traffic across the Pétrusse valley and connecting Boulevard Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Avenue de la Gare...
, which carries traffic from Gare
Gare, Luxembourg
Gare is a quarter in central Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is named after Luxembourg railway station .In 2001, the quarter had a population of 7,764 people.-Gallery:...
, on the southern side of the Pétrusse
Pétrusse
The Pétrusse is a river flowing through Luxembourg, joining the Alzette at Luxembourg City. It flows through the town of Hollerich....
valley. At 100 metres (330 ft), the tunnel bears to its right, before heading back to the left in a long, sweeping bend. At its northern end (49.61367°N 6.13167 °W), the tunnel emerges just to the west of the Alzette
Alzette
The Alzette is a river with a length of 73 kilometers in France and Luxembourg. It is a right tributary of the Sauer.It rises in Thil near the town Villerupt in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département, France. It crosses the border with Luxembourg after a few kilometres. In Lameschmillen it is joined...
valley. The road onto which it leads then divides into two, feeding the Boulevard Royal
Boulevard Royal
Boulevard Royal is a street in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The boulevard is a one-way arterial road that runs around the northern and western parts of the city centre, Ville Haute...
to the west and the Côte d'Eich to the north.
In 1998 it was officially named after René Konen
René Konen
René 'Boy' Konen was a Luxembourgian politician and government minister. He served as Minister for Public Works under Pierre Werner, between 1979 and 1984. Before this, he had been President of the Democratic Party, to which he belonged, and a member of the communal council of Luxembourg City...
, a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Luxembourg)
The Democratic Party , abbreviated to DP, is the major liberal political party in Luxembourg. One of the three major parties, the DP sits on the centre-right, holding moderate market liberal views combined with a strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights, and internationalism.Founded in...
, who served from 1979 till 1984 as Minister for Public Works in the Pierre Werner cabinet, and who initiated the tunnel's construction.
External links
- Arrêté ministériel du 5 novembre 1998 portant dénomination de la jonction souterraine entre le Viaduc et la Côte d’Eich http://www.legilux.public.lu/leg/a/archives/1998/1072112/1072112.pdf