Stephanie Tunnel in Brussels to remain closed all week

The Stephanie tunnel in Brussels will remain closed until at least the end of this week, reports Brussels Mobility, despite Friday's announcement by mobility minister Pascal Smet that the tunnel would reopen on Monday "if all goes well." The tunnel, near Avenue Louise, was closed last week after several cracks were discovered in the ceiling.

The additional week is necessary, says Smet, in order for an external consultancy to "thoroughly investigate" the risk of stability problems that could potentially arise from removing the damaged concrete, Brusselnieuws reports.

In November last year, Brussels Mobility called for an investigation into the state of all of the Brussels tunnels after a concrete block came loose and fell down in the Rogier tunnel. The inspections led to the discovery last week of cracks in the ceiling of the Stephanie tunnel.

The study will take at least a week, requiring the Stephanie tunnel to remain closed during that time. The consultancy should then be able to give an answer about the state of the tunnel and an estimate of how long the repairs might take.

Brussels Mobility is advising motorists to avoid the area around Avenue Louise and to opt for public transportation or carpooling instead.