Smooth launch for new Coentunnel, A'dam

The newly renovated Coentunnel at Amsterdam was opened at 5 a.m. Monday morning without incident. The renovated tunnel is bound to the new, Tweede Coentunnel (Second Coentunnel), and is entirely open to traffic. There was no ceremonial opening, due to the MH17 plane crash in Ukraine.  The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment decided to scrap the festivities due to the plane crash. Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen of the Ministry was to make the first trip through the tunnel, but made the decision on Sunday not to do so. Instead, the Ministry's director-general Jan Hendrik Donkers had the honor. "As symbolic action, he removed several traffic cones that were standing in front of the tunnel", a spokesperson for the Ministry said. The old Coentunnel has been fitted with some improvements, including a chimney for better air quality, and the tunnel installations have been replaced and amended according to the Tunnel Safety Law. The Ministry decided to make these renovations when the Coentunnel, which was opened in 1966, could no longer support today's heavy traffic. In 1970, an average of 44,200 cars per day traveled to the tunnel. Today, there are more than 100,000. The traffic should be alleviated by the tunnel's new features. It now has eight lanes, five of which are available from the morning peak hours onwards from the north side going into the city. Five will be available in the evening going the other direction, as the two remaining lanes are exchange strips. https://twitter.com/roelreport/statuses/491057591540547584

De vernieuwde Coentunnel is weer open voor verkeer http://t.co/Kz8PJUVZQk pic.twitter.com/xAyc29CDNR

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