The En Raxat tunnel is located in the Department of Pyrénées-Orientales, between Collioure and Port-Vendres, and forms part of the former Route nationale 114, now RD 914, a key road axis for mobility along the Vermeille coast. With a length of 525 meters, it is a single-tube, two-way tunnel with two lanes, inaugurated in 1993 with the aim of diverting traffic and improving circulation in this coastal area. Its construction, along with the Douy viaduct, represented a significant investment intended to strengthen the region’s infrastructure and facilitate vehicle transit along the coast.

Since November 2024, the En Raxat tunnel has been undergoing an ambitious modernization project supported by the Departmental Council of Pyrénées-Orientales, with an investment of nine million euros, aimed at adapting the infrastructure to the latest safety standards and incorporating cutting-edge technology. The project management is carried out by HGM Ingenierie, while the contractor awarded the project is Bouygues Energies & Services.

Among the most notable actions is the replacement of the old lighting system with high-efficiency LED luminaires, allowing compliance with stricter safety regulations established after the Mont Blanc tunnel fire in 1999.

EXCELLENT VISIBILITY FOR MAXIMUM SAFETY

With a clearance height of 4.30 meters, a driveable width of 8.5 meters and two 3.50-meter-wide lanes, the En Raxat tunnel is used daily by approximately 12,000 vehicles, a figure that can reach 18,000 during the summer, highlighting the need for safe and reliable lighting.

To ensure this safety, more than 100 T-XTREME floodlights with a 4000K colour temperature have been installed along the entire tunnel. Each luminaire features carefully selected optics that ensure optimal light distribution and excellent uniformity on both the roadway and the tunnel walls. This provides bright white light that accurately reproduces colours and offers high visual comfort for drivers, improving safety and making driving more comfortable and pleasant.

LOW ENERGY AND MAINTENANCE COSTS

Carandini’s T-XTREME luminaires incorporate state-of-the-art LEDs that provide high-quality light while consuming significantly less energy. Thanks to the long lifetime of the LEDs and the robust design of the luminaire (IP66/IP69K/IK10), these floodlights maintain high performance for many years, even in complex and demanding environments, with minimal maintenance.

Unlike competing solutions, T-XTREME includes the innovative TUNNEL FIX system, which facilitates attachment and alignment of the luminaire in its mounting bracket. Its front access to drivers and components, along with plug-and-play connections and tool-free opening, enables fast and convenient maintenance, reducing traffic disruption.

A REFERENCE PROJECT

The modernization of the En Raxat tunnel represents a major advancement in terms of safety, energy efficiency, and lighting technology, establishing this infrastructure as an example of how to combine innovation and protection in a key tunnel for mobility along the Vermeille coast. The choice of T-XTREME luminaires ensures ease of installation and maintenance, high luminous efficiency, and flexible control, features that distinguish this solution from others available on the market.