Mont Blanc road tunnel reopens to traffic after 15 weeks of repairs

The Mont Blanc road tunnel linking France and Italy reopened to traffic on Friday following the completion of construction work.

Webcam video on the tunnel's website showed vehicles passing through toll booths in the evening.

Traffic conditions were normal in both directions, the tunnel’s telephone information service said.

The 11-kilometre tunnel had been closed for 15 weeks for work on its vault structure, forcing motorists to use alternative routes and face significantly longer travel times.

The reopening follows hundreds of safety tests carried out by tunnel operators in recent weeks.

The tunnel was also closed for several weeks last year for similar structural work.

The Mont Blanc Tunnel in the Alps was inaugurated in 1965.

At the time, it was the longest road tunnel in the world.