In order to be able to continue to operate and monitor the Amsterdam city tunnels from the new traffic control centre , data exchange must take place via a standardized interface. Commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam, INNOCY is working on two of the existing tunnels so that they will soon be able to communicate with the new traffic control centre.
The existing traffic control centre on top of the IJ tunnel on the Dijksgracht has grown organically since the IJ tunnel was put into operation in 1968, says Daan Seesing, project manager at the municipality of Amsterdam. "The five municipal tunnels are now operated from the traffic control centre and the flow of the Amsterdam road network is monitored 24/7. However, this traffic control centre has outgrown its premises and is therefore hampering future developments. That is why a new traffic control centre is being built, but the task is much broader than just constructing a new building. The underlying technology is mainly ICT and forms a complex interplay between systems and users. The project has therefore been divided into three sub-projects."
Plan
The construction of the new traffic control centre is one thing. "This is now in full swing and is expected to be completed by mid-2025," says Daan. "The second sub-project is building the functional systems. This includes all technology that turns the building into a traffic control centre, such as ICT, hardware and software. The system design of the renovated Piet Hein Tunnel forms the blueprint for this. The third sub-project involves linking the Michiel de Ruijter Tunnel and the Spaarndammertunnel via the new standardised interface, so that they too will soon be able to communicate with the new traffic control centre in the same way and can be operated and monitored flawlessly from here. One contractor has been contracted for the construction of the building, the implementation of the functional systems is realized as a municipality together with alliance partners, while INNOCY is giving substance to the project management of the third sub-project."
Extensive network
For the required modifications to the tunnels, we chose to involve market parties in the design process at an early stage, and that makes it complex, says Ramon van Gils, project leader at INNOCY. "For both tunnels, we have chosen to design everything in-house up to and including the Preliminary Design. We also explicitly brought the implementation knowledge on board as early as possible, for example by involving the maintenance contractor in the design process. For the Spaarndammertunnel, it was decided to do the design as a construction team." Daan adds: "The documentation of both tunnels did not always give a 100% picture of the current situation. By involving market knowledge at an early stage, you also reduce the risk profile of the project. At the same time, that is also the strength of INNOCY, they have thorough knowledge and years of experience, and an excellent network, where they can call in the experts of ICT Group if necessary. That is very valuable in such a complex project."
Highlighting risks
The modifications to the Michiel de Ruijter Tunnel are mainly network modifications. For the Spaarndammertunnel, the changes are more drastic. For example, the entire audio and video chain will be replaced, the network will be renewed and the control system will be adapted. "We touch everything except the components in the tunnel tubes themselves," says Ramon. "Implementing new software in an existing tunnel with as little disruption as possible to traffic and the city creates the necessary complexity. We therefore build the new systems completely in parallel, test them in the test centre and then go to the tunnel where we switch and test again at night. After that, we really make the transition. So we highlight as many risks as possible and consider the entire chain from component to lectern to ensure correct operation."
The renovation of the Piet Hein Tunnel has ensured that the system chains have been optimised for communication with the new traffic control centre. In the future, this will also apply to the modified Michiel de Ruijter Tunnel and the Spaarndammertunnel. The modifications to the other two tunnels are so extensive that they are first awaiting a thorough renovation or major maintenance before they can be connected to the new traffic control centre via the uniform interface.
