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THE Yan’an Road E. Tunnel from the Pudong New Area crossing under the Huangpu River to Puxi is closing early next year for renovations set to last a year.

But traffic using the tunnel to travel in the opposite direction — from Puxi to Pudong — will not be affected, the Shanghai Information Office said on its official microblog account yesterday.

Motorists will be directed to other tunnels across the river while the work, beginning in February, is taking place.

Built in the 1980s, the tunnel is in need of an overhaul, said the information office, and work on the Pudong-to-Puxi part will start in February.

The renovation work will upgrade the facilities to ensure safety, said Zhang Minyi, Party chief of the Shanghai Road Administration Bureau.

It will also be linked with a “triple decker” East-to-West Passage which is expected to be complete by 2019, Zhang said.

The three-tier, 7.9-kilometer link will include part of Metro Line 14, plus a road tunnel and a road between the exit of the Yan’an Road E. Tunnel and Jinqiao Road.

Part of Century Avenue closes this weekend as construction work gets under way.

After the renovation, the tunnel will also feature more eco-friendly designs and functions, said officials.

The Pudong-to-Puxi part of the tunnel was built in 1988 to become the city’s major connection across the Huangpu River.

The Puxi-to-Pudong part was built in 1996. Both sections have only undergone some minor repairs and maintenance work since then.

“Vehicles will be guided to go through the other tunnels beneath the Huangpu River, including the nearby Xinjian Road and Renmin Road tunnels, as well as the Fuxing Road E. and Xizang Road S. tunnels that are a bit further away,” Zhang said.

Drivers can also use the Nanpu Bridge to go from Pudong to Puxi, he added.

Some 13 bus lines will also be rerouted.

Further details of diversion plans for the scheme will be publicized after public consultation, according to Zhang.