IJtunnel
Encyclopedia
The IJtunnel, opened on 30 October 1968, is an automobile tunnel
under the IJ
that connects the centre of Amsterdam
with Amsterdam-Noord
. The tunnel is part of a route across Amsterdam that connects the Ringweg North with the Ringweg South near Duivendrecht, via Nieuwe Leeuwarderweg, Valkenburgerstraat, Weesperstraat, Wibautstraat and Gooiseweg (S112).
The total length of the tunnel, including on- and off-ramps, is 1682 metres. The covered part is 1039 metres long. The deepest point of the tunnel lies 20.32 metres below sea-level. The tunnel was built of sections of rectangular concrete
constructions of 24.8 x 8.75 metres, subdivided into two tubes for automobile
traffic
and in between tubes for cables and pipes.
Ventilators, located in two ventilation
buildings on the banks of the IJ, blow clean air into the traffic areas via tubes under the surface of the road and openings in the tunnel walls, and suck polluted air
out. At the entrance on the north side there are sun-blocking lattices over the road. These lattices are missing on the south side, where the Nemobuilding is built on top of the tunnel. The traffic in the tunnel is monitored by 22 closed-circuit cameras
. A heating system prevents the forming of ice
on the surface of the road, and a computer
regulates the intensity of light at the beginning and the end of the tunnel, so that a gradual transition from tunnel light to daylight
takes place.
The route through the IJtunnel is an urban avenue
, formed out of two divided tunnels, each with two lanes of traffic. This four-lane road continues to the A10 in the north and to the Prins Hendrikkade in the south, where it is reduced to two lanes, one in each direction.
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...
under the IJ
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
that connects the centre of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
with Amsterdam-Noord
Amsterdam-Noord
Amsterdam-Noord is an autonomous stadsdeel of Amsterdam. The area is located north of the IJ, the body of water which separates it from central Amsterdam and the rest of the city.-Transport:...
. The tunnel is part of a route across Amsterdam that connects the Ringweg North with the Ringweg South near Duivendrecht, via Nieuwe Leeuwarderweg, Valkenburgerstraat, Weesperstraat, Wibautstraat and Gooiseweg (S112).
The total length of the tunnel, including on- and off-ramps, is 1682 metres. The covered part is 1039 metres long. The deepest point of the tunnel lies 20.32 metres below sea-level. The tunnel was built of sections of rectangular concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
constructions of 24.8 x 8.75 metres, subdivided into two tubes for automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
and in between tubes for cables and pipes.
Ventilators, located in two ventilation
Ventilation (architecture)
Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality...
buildings on the banks of the IJ, blow clean air into the traffic areas via tubes under the surface of the road and openings in the tunnel walls, and suck polluted air
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
out. At the entrance on the north side there are sun-blocking lattices over the road. These lattices are missing on the south side, where the Nemobuilding is built on top of the tunnel. The traffic in the tunnel is monitored by 22 closed-circuit cameras
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
. A heating system prevents the forming of ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
on the surface of the road, and a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
regulates the intensity of light at the beginning and the end of the tunnel, so that a gradual transition from tunnel light to daylight
Daylight
Daylight or the light of day is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight outdoors during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and both of these reflected from the Earth and terrestrial objects. Sunlight scattered or reflected from objects in outer space is...
takes place.
The route through the IJtunnel is an urban avenue
Avenue
Avenue may refer to:* Avenue , a specialist term in archaeology referring to lines of stones* Avenue , X-Factor UK contestants* Avenue , a straight route with a line of trees or large shrubs running along each side...
, formed out of two divided tunnels, each with two lanes of traffic. This four-lane road continues to the A10 in the north and to the Prins Hendrikkade in the south, where it is reduced to two lanes, one in each direction.