Image credit: Warnowquerung, Eigenes Werk

Warnow Tunnel, located in the city of Rostock in north-eastern Germany, has achieved iRAP Certification recognising its 5-star safety rating for vehicle occupants, and 3- and 4-star rating for motorcyclists.

The Warnow Tunnel, owned by Atlas Arteria, is a 2.1 km toll road including a 0.8 km tunnel under the Warnow River which divides Rostock. The tunnel connects residential and industrial areas of the city including Rostock Port – a freight and passenger ferry port for Baltic shipping, bulk port and Cruise Terminal with up to five ships a day in the summer, as well as a growing bulk retail centre.

The tunnel offers an efficient alternative to a 19 kilometre journey via untolled roads through the Rostock central shopping precinct, often with delays during peak periods.

The Tunnel has two lanes in each direction and the main toll plaza on the eastern side which has five lanes in each direction plus one bi-directional lane (11 lanes in total).

Both carriageways, including the tunnel and the toll plaza stretch, were star rated using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Star Rating methodology. iRAP data coding was performed using Google Street View imagery and provided traffic data.

iRAP certification evaluates road infrastructure according to global safety standards, assigning a score from 1 to 5 stars. Each improvement in road rating – for example, from 1 to 2 stars – can reduce fatalities by up to 50 percent.

The results show the full assessed road length achieves a 5-star safety rating for vehicle occupants, the highest level for safety. For motorcyclists, the full length achieves a 3-star or better iRAP safety rating (50% 3-star and 50% 4-star).

Infrastructure that achieves 3 stars or more, such as the Warnow Tunnel, is significantly safer and helps save lives.

Arnim Berger, Operations Director for Atlas Arteria said, “Atlas Arteria partners to deliver world-class road experiences in Germany, France and the United States. Safety is one of the four priority areas in our Sustainability Framework, and nothing is more important than keeping our people and customers safe. Achieving iRAP Certification is a testament to our ongoing efforts to provide safe, efficient journeys that connect communities and freight in the city.”

Warnowquerung GmbH & Co. KG (WQG) owns the concession to operate Warnow Tunnel for 50 years from construction completion until 2053.