Environmental permit for Maasdeltatunnel granted

On Tuesday, June 25, the municipality of Vlaardingen granted the environmental permit for the construction of the Maasdelta tunnel to building consortium BAAK (Ballast Nedam and DEME).

An important milestone for the Blankenburg Connection project of which the Maasdelta tunnel is part. Construction can now start. The tunnel is being built under the Scheur (part of the Nieuwe Waterweg) and is part of the new A24 motorway that connects the A20 at Vlaardingen with the A15 at Rozenburg.

Build on location

The construction consortium recently completed the preparatory work, like the construction of box dams and the diversion of the Droespolderweg. BAAK can now start building the permanent parts of the tunnel. On the north and south side of the water the first steps are made for the tunnel. Two tunnel elements are built on top of the access roads, the so-called immersion elements. The elements have a length of 200 metees and a width of 42 metres. By choosing to build on site, BAAK limits the nuisance for shipping on the Scheur to the time required to position and sink the elements.

Blankenburg connection

The Blankenburg connection will be integrated into the area with a deepened junction at the A20 and a land tunnel under the Aalkeet polder in Vlaardingen. The environmental permit for the land tunnel - the Holland tunnel - will be granted later this year. Within the project, the A20 is also being widened between Kethelplein and the Blankenburg connection. BAAK is building a junction for the connection with the A15 at Rozenburg. The work is going according to plan. The new connection will be open for traffic in 2024.