Stonehenge is one of the most famous ancient structures. It is hard. Traffic is causing problems for locals. Since 1882, the structure has been protected. The British government’s $2.2 billion tunnel near Stonehenge could do irreparable damage. A tunnel dangerously near Stonehenge increases traffic capacity without harming the monument. The Stonehenge-serving A303 will remain two-lane. Rerouting traffic around Stonehenge was either impossible or too expensive due to the A303’s southwest-London connection. The tunnel will widen the A303 to four lanes from two at Stonehenge. The BBC reports that the initiative is still met with opposition. The British government’s Planning Inspectorate claims the tunnel will “permanently and irreparably” damage the historic site. Even weirder is that they were built on the legally protected ground over 5,000 years old. Traffic bottlenecks can last “dozens” of kilometres, producing massive automobile lines. The alliance to safeguard Stonehenge as a World Heritage Site stopped the initial tunnel design in the British High Court. The Department of Transport and Wiltshire Council helped decide on a new strategy. “The development will hurt cultural heritage and the historic environment,” warned Transportation Secretary Mark Harper. The plot continues despite Secretary Harper’s warning. But the tube will face other issues.
