The Tmb-Geie company, which manages the Mont Blanc Tunnel, announced a total closure of the road tunnel from September 2 to December 16, 2024, for major maintenance works. Additionally, there will be nighttime closures from mid-April to June. The 2024 closure schedule disclosed by Tmb-Geie includes extensive maintenance of large sections of the road deck and the tunnel ceiling. This period will also see mandatory safety drills that necessitate specific closures.
The most significant impact will come from the major maintenance works, originally planned for 2023 but postponed to 2024 by the Italy-France Intergovernmental Commission due to the simultaneous closure of the Frejus rail tunnel caused by a landslide. This will be the initial test site to repair two 300-meter sections of the tunnel ceiling. During the works, no vehicles will be allowed to pass through the tunnel for fifteen consecutive weeks, from 5 PM on September 2 to 5 PM on December 16, 2024. A second test phase involving different types of interventions is planned for 2025 over an additional 600 meters.
Starting April 14, 2024, the Tmb-Geie company has initiated restoration works on the road deck, necessitating several nighttime closures during the week. The company clarifies that due to the specific requirements of the construction process and the area of intervention, these operations cannot be conducted simultaneously with the major works scheduled for autumn.
Specifically, the schedule includes five closures lasting ten and a half hours from 7:30 PM to 6:00 AM, twenty-seven closures of twelve and a half hours from 10:00 PM to 7:30 AM, and one extended closure of thirty and a half hours beginning at 11:30 PM on June 19, 2024. For detailed information on the closure schedule, a PDF can be downloaded from the Tmb-Geie website. These measures are part of ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the structural integrity of the roadway, ensuring safety and reliability for all users.
Tmb-Geie has also outlined how it will handle subscriptions during the traffic interruptions. The expiration date of existing 10 or 20-transit passes valid from the start of the total closure (September 2, 2024) will automatically be extended by four months. This proactive approach aims to minimize the inconvenience for frequent users of the tunnel during this extensive closure period.
