Work and partial closures return to the Havana Bay Tunnel

The Havana Bay Tunnel once again experienced partial closures starting this Friday to “continue rehabilitation work.”

This was communicated in his social networks the Minister of Transport, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, indicating that the work will extend until next May 15 in the Cabaña-Havana direction.

“On this occasion, the path will maintain its normal operation between 7 in the morning and 9 at night. From 9 pm to 6 am it will be closed to carry out maintenance actions. Users will be able to use the Havana - Cabaña path following the instructions of the traffic agents,” explained the minister.

The authorities of the capital recommended that drivers use “alternative routes to travel from the East, the Vía Blanca, Ciudad Deportiva, Avenida 26, Avenida del Puerto and the Ring of the Port.”

“Drivers are urged to pay attention to vehicle control and remain attentive to the instructions of law enforcement officers, as well as the signs to avoid unnecessary crowds and the occurrence of traffic accidents,” said Rodríguez Dávila.

After announcing the “completion of the works” and the reopening to traffic in mid-April, the Minister of Transportation warned that those responsible were considering resuming the works "at the beginning of the month of May", to "execute the task on the left wing, without stopping the circulation of vehicles ”.

“Workers from the Mipyme Cobas Construcciones” participated in the works undertaken in the Bahía Tunnel and the National Company for Applied Research (ENIA-INVESCOM) of the Ministry of Construction certified the quality of the works.

The repairs happen after Rodríguez Dávila himself inform about the situation of this road that connects Old Havana with the east of the city, allowing the passage of about 32 thousand vehicles every day.

Although the ENIA concluded that the appreciated drip cycle is similar to the one presented at other times in previous years, those responsible decided to intervene to waterproof it. However, Rodríguez Dávila assured that the drip observed “at the moment it did not represent a danger to the current structure and circulation of the tunnel”.

In its more than 65 years of life, the tunnel has undergone maintenance at various times, including a capital repair in 2001, carried out by the same French company that built it.

However, the colonel Roberto Rodríguez Fernández, head of the Specialized Traffic Department of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), explained that further actions may be required by the work brigades, since problems had surfaced that were not identified.

“Those responsible for the maintenance actions confirmed last night that the resources to work and undertake the actions - even new actions that appear as maintenance is carried out, [and that] may require another type of activity of repairs or arrangements - are also being carried out and are planned to be carried out,” said Rodríguez Fernández, interviewed by Cuban Television.

The works forced drivers to detour along the Vía Blanca to travel between Eastern Havana and the center of the capital, which increased traffic tension on that important artery, as well as the risk of accidents.

During the tunnel closure dates, two almendrones and three modern cars, including a taxi, were involved in a chain reaction of collisions apparently caused by an unexpected stop at a traffic light.