Opens City Tunnel in Fellbach

In the heart of Fellbach, Germany, an emergency repair project on the city tunnel's ventilation system has been successfully completed. The aging infrastructure of the approximately 30-year-old ventilators posed a significant challenge, as a temporary quick fix was not feasible due to widespread corrosion.

The city's engineers faced a daunting task, but they persevered. Over the past few weeks, approximately 100 lighting bodies in the tunnel were inspected and partially replaced. This meticulous work paved the way for a unique solution to repair the ventilators directly on the tunnel ceiling.

The tunnel is home to 20 jet ventilators, each weighing about 500 kilograms. These essential components are crucial for smoke extraction, ensuring the safety of tunnel users. The repairs were carried out by a specialist company, whose identity remains unnamed in the search results, but who enabled the repairs without removing the fans from the tunnel ceiling.

One steel ventilator was dismantled, inspected, and repaired as an example to determine the exact damage. This meticulous process was necessary to ensure the success of the repairs on the remaining ventilators.

The repairs were not without their challenges. Christiane Gegenfurtner, head of the Fellbach municipal engineering department, stated that the project required the collaboration of specialized companies and the procurement of spare parts. Important screw connections on the ventilators showed signs of corrosion, adding to the complexity of the repairs.

During the closure, damage to the road surface was also repaired, and minor maintenance work was combined with the scheduled cleaning in late autumn. The city warns that due to the age of the tunnel tube built in 1997, further repair measures and traffic restrictions can be expected in the coming years, and a comprehensive renovation of the city tunnel is also pending.

This successful repair project underscores the importance of regular maintenance and investment in infrastructure to ensure the safety and efficiency of our cities. The people of Fellbach can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their city tunnel is once again operating at full capacity.