Cycling underwater – Maastunnel in Rotterdam

By

14 Jun, 2019

5000 cyclists and pedestrians per day use Maastunnel in Rotterdam to travel under the city’s main river. Both user groups have their own separated space in the tunnel – pedestrians walk one floor below the cycling path.

Maastunnel, in the western outskirts of the centre of Rotterdam, includes road S103 as well as cycling and pedestrian tunnels. Around 5000 cyclists and pedestrians use the tunnel daily.

The interesting feature is that pedestrian and cyclists have their own separate floors in the tunnel – pedestrians travel one floor below cyclists. All floors – ground floor, cycling tunnel and pedestrian tunnel – are connected by lifts. There are also escalators between ground and cycling floor and staircase between cycling and pedestrian floor.

A view across Maas at the tunnel location. Low white building in the centre of the picture contains the exit on the other side. Inside the cycling tunnel. Kerb separates directions for cyclists. Most of cyclists use escalators to get to and from the tunnel level. Pedestrian tunnel is one level below the cycling path. Additional staircase connects both tunnels. Elevators connect street (straat) level, cycling (fiets-) tunnel level and pedestrian (voetgangers-) tunnel level.