Swiss tunnel becomes world's longest

Swiss tunnel becomes world's longest

2010-10-15 19:32:16 GMT+7 (ICT)

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (BNO NEWS) -- A high-speed railway tunnel that will soon connect northern and southeastern Europe was partly completed on Friday, making history as the world's longest tunnel at 57 kilometers (35.4 miles).

The Gotthard Base Tunnel crosses the Swiss Alps and took 15 years of construction. And while the tunnel may have reached it destined length on Friday, it will still take until 2017 before the tunnel is expected to open.

Approximately 24 million tons of rock with a drill measuring 9.5 meters (31 feet) wide was used to excavate the tunnel, costing around 7 billion euros ($9.8 billion).

Voters approved the concept and financing of the tunnel in the 1990s and is being considered as an environmental triumph that will shift freights from roads to rail. There has been much concern of damage being caused by the 1.2 million trucks that travel every year through Switzerland's mountainous areas, impacting the Alpine landscapes, plants, animals, and affecting the process of erosion.

"We are very excited about the final breakthrough at the Gotthard Base Tunnel," said Rahel Probst, spokeswoman for contractor AlpTransit. "Everyone who has worked on the project is very proud to have been part of this world record-breaking achievement."

"The myth of the Gotthard has been broken for a third time. Our forefathers struggled from the Middle Ages onwards to make this mountain passable," said Peter Fueglistaler, director of the Federal Transport office.

Now the tunnel has reached its length, the Gotthard Base Tunnel will take over the world record from the Japanese Seikan tunnel which runs 53.85 kilometers (33.4 miles).

The tunnel will also cut the traveling time from Zurich to Milan by an hour and a half with a 3-hour trip.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-10-15