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The Arlberg Tunnel holds a special place in Austria's infrastructure network. Stretching for 13.97 kilometres, it is the longest road tunnel in the country and an indispensable east–west connection linking the provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Since its opening in 1978, the tunnel has provided a safe and weather-independent passage through the Arlberg massif, sparing drivers the sometimes treacherous conditions of the Arlberg Pass above. For commuters, holidaymakers, and freight operators alike, it has become a vital transport artery.
The tunnel was constructed during a period of major infrastructure expansion in Austria, when long-distance road and rail connections were modernised to keep pace with rising traffic volumes. Built as a single-tube tunnel with one lane in each direction, the Arlberg road tunnel represented a significant engineering achievement of its time. The project not only shortened travel times but also improved year-round reliability, especially during the long Alpine winters when snow and ice frequently make mountain passes difficult or impassable.
From the start, safety played a crucial role in its design. The tunnel was equipped with a sophisticated ventilation system, emergency bays, and cross-passages to the parallel Arlberg railway tunnel. Over the years, the infrastructure was continually upgraded to reflect advances in tunnel safety, particularly in the wake of European tunnel incidents in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The importance of the Arlberg Tunnel is underlined by its traffic figures: around 8,000 vehicles pass through it daily, making it a heavily used yet essential route for both regional mobility and international transit. As the only road tunnel connecting Tyrol and Vorarlberg directly, it also plays a strategic role in tourism, enabling skiers, hikers, and holiday travellers to reach destinations on both sides of the Arlberg with ease.
After more than four decades of continuous operation, however, the tunnel's infrastructure inevitably showed signs of wear. The 45-year-old roadway, drainage systems, and tunnel coating required renewal, while safety systems needed to be brought in line with the latest European standards. These requirements led to one of the most extensive refurbishment projects in Austria's tunnel history, undertaken between April and October 2023.
The renovation programme covered a wide range of measures: renewal of the roadway, drainage systems, and the tunnel coating, as well as improvements to lighting, ventilation, and overall tunnel safety. With an investment of 75 million euros, the project was not simply a facelift but a fundamental enhancement designed to secure the tunnel's role as Austria's most important east–west link for decades to come.
But modernisation on this scale also poses risks of its own. With up to 200 people working simultaneously inside the 14-kilometre-long tunnel, ensuring occupational safety during construction became a top priority for the operator, ASFINAG. In such an environment, traditional paper-based headcounts and manual safety checks are no longer sufficient. Emergency scenarios, from fire to evacuation, require absolute precision and real-time knowledge of worker positions.
That is where Identec Solutions entered the picture. The company provided its proven safety solution, Crew Companion, to support worker protection throughout the project. Every person entering the tunnel was equipped with a small, lightweight transponder that could be carried in a pocket or worn around the neck. These devices continuously communicated with the Crew Companion system, automatically registering the location of each worker inside the tunnel (see also: tunnel construction safety).
This real-time monitoring allowed the control centre to see, at a glance, where all personnel were located, and whether they had reached designated safety zones in the event of an emergency. In practical terms, it meant that if an evacuation became necessary, rescue teams would know instantly whether everyone had exited the tunnel—or if someone still needed help.
ASFINAG's Managing Director, Andreas Fromm, underlined the importance of this approach:
"With Crew Companion, we have a proven solution in place that fully automatically registers and displays the location and movements of all workers in the Arlberg Tunnel."
By using Crew Companion, the project not only safeguarded the workforce but also set a benchmark for safety standards in tunnel refurbishment projects. The solution is widely used in mining and other hazardous industries worldwide, and its application in the Arlberg Tunnel highlighted its versatility in civil infrastructure as well.
Ultimately, the Arlberg modernisation was not only about concrete, steel, and drainage channels. It was about ensuring that everyone—workers during the renovation, and motorists afterwards—could use the tunnel with the highest possible level of safety. Identec Solutions' Crew Companion made a vital contribution to that goal, providing peace of mind to operators and workers alike.
Working inside a tunnel presents a unique set of safety challenges. Limited visibility, restricted escape routes, and long underground distances mean that every second counts in an emergency. Traditional safety practices such as manual headcounts or paper-based sign-in sheets are no longer adequate for large-scale projects where hundreds of people may be working simultaneously. This is where Crew Companion, Identec Solutions' real-time personnel tracking system, proves its value.
In tunnel projects (like the Brenner Base Tunnel), Crew Companion equips every worker with a compact transponder that can be worn comfortably around the neck or kept in a pocket. As soon as the worker enters the tunnel, the device is automatically registered by the system. From that moment, the control centre has a live overview of who is inside, where they are located, and how they are moving. This visibility is crucial not only for day-to-day management but also for handling emergencies.
If an incident occurs, Crew Companion provides an instant status update, showing whether personnel have reached designated safety areas or exited the tunnel. Rescue coordinators no longer have to guess or rely on incomplete information—they know immediately if someone remains underground and where to find them. The system, therefore, transforms evacuation management from a manual process into a precise, data-driven operation.
By integrating modern technology into construction and refurbishment projects, Crew Companion helps ensure that every worker goes home safely. It turns tunnels from potentially hazardous workplaces into controlled, transparent environments where safety is never left to chance.
The Arlberg Road Tunnel is 13.97 kilometres long, making it the longest road tunnel in Austria. It connects the provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, running beneath the Arlberg massif in the western Austrian Alps.
The tunnel is a vital east–west connection and provides a safe, weather-independent alternative to the Arlberg Pass road above. Around 8,000 vehicles use the tunnel daily, including commuters, freight traffic, and tourists. Especially in winter, when snow and ice can make mountain roads hazardous, the tunnel ensures reliable year-round mobility.
Between April and October 2023, the Arlberg Tunnel underwent a comprehensive refurbishment costing around 75 million euros. Works included renewal of the roadway, drainage systems, and tunnel coating, alongside upgrades to safety systems, lighting, and ventilation. The project extended the tunnel's service life and brought it in line with modern European safety standards.
The Arlberg Tunnel renovation highlighted that worker safety is as critical as structural improvements. With hundreds of people underground, precise location monitoring became essential. Identec Solutions' Crew Companion ensured that every worker's position was visible in real time, enabling rapid, targeted evacuation if needed. By transforming safety management from guesswork into certainty, the system set a new benchmark for tunnel projects, proving that digital workforce tracking is not just a technological upgrade but a life-saving necessity.
Delve deeper into one of our core topics: Miner safety
A drainage system in a tunnel is the engineered network that collects and removes water infiltrating from surrounding rock or surface sources. It prevents water accumulation on the roadway, protects structural integrity, and ensures safe driving conditions. Typically, it consists of side drains, collection channels, and pumping stations guiding water to designated outlets. Effective drainage is vital for tunnel longevity and user safety. (1)
Reference:
(1) Bickel, J.O., & Kuesel, T.R. (2009). Tunnel Engineering Handbook. Springer.
Note: This article was partly created with the assistance of artificial intelligence to support drafting.