Hubertustunnel gets update to Hague Tunnel standard

The 1,600-meter-long Hubertus Tunnel in The Hague, in operation since 2008, is part of the Noordelijke Randweg and runs from Landscheidingsweg (N440) to the Hubertus Viaduct (S200). The operation and control is beginning to reach the end of its useful life. Reason enough for the municipality of The Hague to call for a renovation contract, including a multi-year maintenance contract. The winning bid came from Strukton and ICT Group, who have been working together for many years. In this project, ICT Group is upgrading the operation and control system to The Hague Tunnel standard.

Strukton and ICT Group know each other from a partnership at the King Willem-Alexander Tunnel in Maastricht. "Especially in recent years, our contacts have intensified. We have also been jointly providing maintenance for the Hubertus Tunnel since 2018," says Coen van Ommen, project manager at Strukton. "In projects like this, we complement each other perfectly. Also, the culture at our companies is very similar. That's precisely what makes it such a good match. We are open and transparent to each other." For the Hubertus Tunnel upgrade, both companies are working from a collaborative office in Zoetermeer.

The Hubertus Tunnel is undergoing limited structural work. In both tunnel tubes, the walls of the tunnel will be repaired and provided with a dirt-repellent coating. In addition, heat-resistant lining will be applied in the closed sections of the ramps and the asphalt in the tunnel will be replaced. Most of the scope focuses on replacing or modifying the installations and shaping a completely new operation and control system. "It is the third tunnel in The Hague to receive a control system realized in accordance with the Hague Tunnel Standard," says Marco Plug, consultant at ICT Group. Coen adds: "In the past, the Municipality of The Hague developed a solid vision to be able to operate the three complex objects in The Hague's area, including therefore the Hubertus Tunnel, in the future from a new control center in Scheveningen. From this, the Hague Tunnel Standard (HTS) emerged as a precursor to the development of the National Tunnel Standard (LTS) introduced three years later. The HTS has some installations that the LTS does not, such as airspeed meters and alarm/step off signs, but the main difference is in the proprietary look and feel of the operating interface. It is different from that of the LTS and, unlike the Hubertus Tunnel's current operating interface, is much more focused on the process of operating the tunnel toward traffic rather than toward technology."

To carry out the renovation, the tunnel will be completely closed for nine months from the end of July 2025. "One of the conditions for closing the tunnel is that the software for the entire operation and control system be delivered completely residual point-free before then," says Marco. "We're using all kinds of smart tooling to use digital means to simulate behavior. We have carried out a similar exercise before for the Maas Delta Tunnel and the Holland Tunnel on the A24 Blankenburg connection. The first design phase is now behind us, with the 'proof of concept' we have demonstrated the working principle. This forms the basis for the framework of the operating environment. In 2025, we are scheduled to deliver the software, which we will then test. For this we are building an integral test environment, linking the controls to the new plants."

The goal is to have a fully fully tested system by mid-2025, with no test findings, Coen says. "So that on the front end you have more certainty that you are going to build a working tunnel. A piece of certainty that The Hague imposes as the client, but is very useful for us as contractors to comply with. After all, it's a measure that eliminates most integration risks." Marco adds: "Because we involve our colleagues from Managed Services within ICT Group, now also responsible for management and maintenance, in all important decisions, we also monitor continuity up to and including the last day of the future maintenance scope." Coen concludes, "In the new contract, maintenance is based on total cost of ownership, a way of maintenance where accountability goes further than in the current contract. So it's all about doing it right the first time, because then we can enjoy it for 15 years."