Ten years ago, the Blanka Tunnel Complex in Prague was opened – the largest construction project of its kind in the Czech Republic. Today, it is indispensable to the capital’s traffic and is considered a central lifeline for motorists.
Yesterday, Friday, marked the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Blanka Tunnel Complex. Over a decade, the structure has become an essential pillar of the city’s transport infrastructure. Around 780 million vehicles have passed through the three tunnel tubes since then, while emergency services and controllers have had to handle thousands of incidents – from everyday breakdowns to bizarre occurrences.
The complex, consisting of the Bubenečský, Dejvický, and Brusnický tunnels, fundamentally changed traffic in Prague. It relieved congestion in the city centre, reduced journey times, and took vehicle traffic underground. Since its opening, around 780 million vehicles have passed through the tunnel. The Dejvický Tunnel has borne the greatest load with more than 271 million vehicles, followed by the Brusnický Tunnel with almost 266 million and the Bubenečský Tunnel with 236 million vehicles.
Safety in Focus
Over the past ten years, the police and the Technická správa komunikací (TSK) have recorded 1,086 accidents, 33 of them involving injuries. There have been no fatalities to date. The operators most often had to intervene due to broken-down vehicles – 4,344 times. Ghost-driving incidents (297), people in the tunnel (479, including ten animals), and fires (17) also required the attention of emergency services.
Some incidents made headlines: a man on a skateboard rolled through the Bubenečský Tunnel in 2020; a pedestrian pushed a rubbish bin through the Brusnice tube in 2021; and in 2019, a driver stopped in the middle of the tunnel – due to a toothache.
Behind the safe operation of the complex are hundreds of staff. Operators monitor traffic in the control centre around the clock, while technicians work night shifts to check lighting, ventilation systems, kilometres of cables, and drainage.
Unresolved Formalities
Although Blanka has been in regular operation for years, the approval process for part of the project is still not fully concluded. A formal decision by the Administrative Court has meant that the relevant section continues to operate only under provisional use. Observers, however, expect a final acceptance soon.
