maantunnel

Maantunnel is an underground vehicle tunnel located in the city of Tampere, Finland, that connects the urban core with the eastern ring road. The tunnel forms part of Highway 2 (Västra Östersund) and was opened to traffic in 2019 after a construction period that began in 2013. The 1.7‑kilometre structure carries four lanes of roadway, with an additional dedicated emergency lane on each side. The design includes a reinforced concrete shell, double‑layered safety barriers, and a comprehensive ventilation system that supplies fresh air and removes pollutants in real time. Smoke‑extraction hatches are strategically placed to facilitate fire suppression and rescue operations. The tunnel is monitored continuously by a network of CCTV cameras and sensors that detect road conditions, vehicle speeds, and environmental changes, providing data to a central traffic‑management centre.

Construction of Maantunnel was undertaken by the Finnish Public Roads Administration and involved approximately 300 workers at its peak. The project cost roughly 1.2 billion euros, and it was financed through a combination of national road funds and municipal contributions. Since its opening, traffic studies have shown a reduction of up to 20 kilometres per day in congestion on adjacent surface roads, improving commute times by an estimated fifteen minutes for commuters travelling between the city centre and the eastern suburbs. Additionally, the tunnel has contributed to noise reduction and lower vehicle emissions in the affected districts by providing a more direct and less congested route.