How is WSDOT ensuring safety in the tunnel?
The Bremerton Tunnel will be 940 feet long, two lanes wide, both carrying traffic moving in the same direction.
The speed limit through the Bremerton tunnel will be 25 mph.
No flammable loads will be allowed in the Bremerton tunnel. However, should a fire occur there will be:
- fire hoses in four locations of the tunnel
- fire alarm pull boxes
- direct telephone access to 911
- hand-held fire extinguishers (for smaller fires)
- heat detectors in the tunnel ceiling to notify authorities if there is a fire in the tunnel
- CCTV allowing visual checks
- two sets of fans (six fans total). Each set of three fans is designed to independently handle the maximum amount of smoke, blowing the smoke away from oncoming traffic.
The project does not include more complex fire equipment in the Bremerton Tunnel design because flammable loads won’t be allowed.
WSDOT will perform a smoke test before the tunnel opens to make sure the ventilation works properly.