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Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
The Blackwall Tunnel, a vital transport link beneath the River Thames in East London, has a rich and complex history spanning over a century, marked by engineering innovation, evolving traffic demands, and significant urban development. It connects the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and forms part of the A102 road, managed by Transport for London (TfL).
Origins and First Tunnel Construction
The concept of a tunnel in the Blackwall area emerged in the 1880s, driven by the pressing need for a dry crossing east of London Bridge. At the time, two-fifths of London's population resided east of London Bridge, yet no direct road crossing existed, leading to arduous journeys and significant commercial impediments. Transporting goods across the Thames in this region was so costly that it sometimes exceeded the expense of shipping them across the Atlantic from Hudson Bay. A bridge was deemed impractical due to the extensive shipping traffic on the Thames, necessitating an extremely high structure that would be both expensive and challenging to construct given the river's widening in the east.
The Thames Tunnel (Blackwall) Act 1887 provided the legal framework for the tunnel's construction. Initially, Sir Joseph Bazalgette, chief engineer for the Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW), proposed three parallel tunnels: two for vehicular traffic and one for pedestrians. However, a series of scandals within the MBW led to its abolition in 1889, with responsibility for London's governance transferring to the newly formed London County Council (LCC). The LCC subsequently revised Bazalgette's plans, opting for a single tunnel with two lanes.
Construction of the first tunnel, designed by Sir Alexander Binnie and built by S. Pearson & Sons, commenced in 1892 and was completed in 1897. Ernest William Moir served as the lead engineer. The tunnel, with an external diameter of 8.23 metres (27 feet), was a marvel of engineering for its time, utilising a Greathead tunnelling shield and compressed air techniques. The project involved a workforce of 800 men and cost £1.4 million, though tragically, it resulted in seven fatalities. The tunnel was formally opened by the Prince of Wales on 22 May 1897. It was initially designed to accommodate a mix of foot, cycle, horse-drawn, and vehicular traffic. The distinctive bends in the tunnel, often attributed to preventing horses from bolting, were actually designed to avoid an existing main sewer and certain housing structures.
Second Tunnel and Expansion
As motor traffic increased significantly in the early 20th century, the capacity of the original Blackwall Tunnel quickly became inadequate. Proposals for a second tunnel emerged in the 1930s, and the LCC obtained an act for its construction in 1938. However, the outbreak of World War II delayed the project, with construction finally beginning in 1958 with preliminary work on the northern approach road.
The new eastern tunnel, with a diameter of 8.59 metres (28 ft 2 in), was opened on 2 August 1967, by Desmond Plummer, Leader of the Greater London Council (GLC). This wider tunnel carries two lanes of traffic and can accommodate vehicles up to 4.72 metres (15.5 ft) in height. Unlike the original, it features no sharp bends. Following the opening of the second tunnel, the original western bore was refurbished and dedicated to northbound traffic, while the new eastern bore handled southbound traffic. The London Buses route 108 (Stratford–Lewisham) runs through the tunnels, with bus priority gates at both entrances to manage congestion.
Traffic Management and Challenges
Despite the addition of the second tunnel, the Blackwall Tunnel has consistently faced issues with congestion, earning a reputation as a significant traffic bottleneck. The northbound tunnel, in particular, experiences frequent tailbacks. A tidal flow system was implemented in 1978 to alleviate congestion, allowing northbound traffic to use a lane of the eastern tunnel during peak hours. However, this system was (controversially) removed in 2007 due to safety concerns related to dangerous driving behavior.
The tunnels have also been plagued by frequent closures due to over-height vehicles striking gantries and vehicles running out of fuel. In 2011, TfL reported that the tunnel had been closed 1,200 times in the preceding year for a total of 157 hours. Efforts to mitigate these issues include the installation of LED noticeboards to display monthly breakdown and accident statistics.
Safety concerns have also been raised, with a 2002 survey rating the tunnel's safety record as "very poor," making it one of the least safe tunnels in Europe. Subsequent refurbishments, including the installation of fire detection systems, have aimed to address these concerns.
The Silvertown Tunnel and Tolling
For many years, proposals for additional crossings were considered to relieve pressure on the Blackwall Tunnel, including a third bore. Following the cancellation of the Thames Gateway Bridge in 2008, the Silvertown Tunnel was proposed as a new crossing from the Greenwich Peninsula to Silvertown. Construction of the Silvertown Tunnel began in March 2021 and it officially opened on 7 April 2025.
With the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel, toll charges were introduced for both the Silvertown Tunnel and the Blackwall Tunnel, effective from 7 April 2025. These charges apply between 06:00 and 22:00, with overnight use being free. The introduction of tolls aims to manage traffic levels across both tunnels, recover construction costs for the Silvertown Tunnel, and contribute to the maintenance and operation of both tunnels. Following the implementation of tolls, the nearby Woolwich Free Ferry reported a daily increase in traffic of approximately 1,800 vehicles as drivers sought to avoid the charges.
Current Status
As of 2026, the Blackwall Tunnel continues to serve as a critical artery for London's transport network. The western bore is exclusively for northbound traffic and has a height restriction of 4.0 metres (13.1 ft). The eastern bore, used for southbound traffic, can accommodate vehicles up to 4.72 metres (15.5 ft) in height. Pedestrians and cyclists have been banned from using the tunnels since May 1969. The Blackwall Tunnel, alongside the newly opened Silvertown Tunnel, now operates under a tolling system during specified hours, marking a significant shift in its long history as a free crossing.
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
Bullseye Projects presents Evolve 2018, a group exhibition featuring new work by former Emerge finalists and award winners Joanna Manousis, Cassandra Straubing, and Kathryn Wightman.
Evolve 2018 runs in conjunction with Emerge 2018, an exhibition of finalists from Bullseye Glass Company's tenth biennial competition for rising talent in kiln-glass.
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale
Last night another dream became a reality for me. Last night something I had been thinking about and working towards took full flight. Last I opened my Evolve Gallery with my business partner Dennis.
Prelude, our opening show and fundraiser featured the amazing work of 15 artists representing 5 countries.
From student artwork from Ryman Arts and Star Prep Academy to emerging and establish artists, this was a great start.
We are located on the 11th floor of the historic REEF building at 1933 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Our hours are Monday through Friday 12-5pm
ALL work is for sale