Local residents can now breathe a sigh of relief as any chances of a second tunnel being built under Mont Blanc have been officially rejected by the French government. In a letter to the Mayor of Chamonix, the French Minister of Transport has confirmed that the government are in opposition to the plan to double the tunnel.
The Italian partner in the concessionary company running the Mont Blanc tunnel, the SITMB, had proposed the construction of a second tunnel on the basis that it would 'separate traffic flows and allow a smoother passage for international traffic in the long term.'
However with pollution levels in the Chamonix valley already at unacceptable levels, any plans to increase traffic in the area have been met with widespread opposition locally. The government's official rejection of the proposal means that the situation is now unlikely to change for many years.
Eric Fournier, Chamonix town mayor, voiced his opinion on the subject during the 50th anniversary event of the Mont Blanc tunnel on Saturday 15th September:
" …a ravaged valley, first of all due to the footprint left by the road’s infrastructure which cut its territory into two, then due to the increasingly fast growth of the international goods traffic and the harmful effects that this traffic generated, and finally because of the tragedy of 1999, still present in everyone’s mind ."
He continued: " This is why our community, today, would like to look at its history without disowning it, but also prepare its future, without insulting it. We therefore solemnly reaffirm our total opposition to any initiative aiming at increasing the capacity of international transit through our valley and thus to any attempt of new road tunnel building under Mont-Blanc ."
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