This week's Good Facility is a walking and cycling tunnel under Rotterdam Centraal station, the main train station in Rotterdam.
The tunnel is composed of a wide bi-directional cycleway, and a separate footway, clearly distinct from each other with a kerb and different materials. This design means people can walk and cycle through the tunnel without coming into conflict with one another.
As well as being well-lit with artificial lighting, the tunnel has skylights (built into the station platforms above) to allow natural daylight to enter, creating a good feeling of social safety.
The tunnel is around 200 metres long, passing under the 13 platforms of the station. It provides a quick and easy connection between the neighbourhoods north and south of the station, not available to motor traffic.
Comments
Tulyar
6 November, 2015 - 11:33
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Cost of building?Is this
Cost of building?
Is this below the water table/water levels in nearby canals?
eldering
9 November, 2015 - 22:59
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According to public GIS
According to public GIS information (see http://www.ahn.nl/pagina/postcodetool.html), the average surface altitute at the station's postcode 3013HA is -0.6m and varies between -1.5 and 2.3m. I can't seem to get a legend to read off the actual charts. So my guess is that the tunnel is a bit below sea (and thus local water) level.
andreengels
7 January, 2016 - 15:57
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water levels
In the Netherlands there are many places where the local water level is well below sea level. Seeing recent English history, waterworks is another area in which the British can learn from the Dutch...