Limerick Tunnel
October 31 2008

The NRA/DirectRoute Limerick Tunnel Open Day was indeed the last opportunity for the public to see the Limerick Tunnel before it was immersed under the River Shannon.

DirectRoute started preparations for the tunnel immersions in early August with the flooding of the tunnel casting basin. The cut-off walls between the Shannon and the casting basin were then removed allowing the casting basin to be connected to the River. The first tunnel element was then floated out of the casting basin on 7 September.

The tunnel immersion crew have a tradition of naming the tunnel elements before they are immersed. The first tunnel element christened "Liz", was winched across the Shannon and docked with the South Cut and Cover tunnel section. This was followed on successive Sundays by the second tunnel element "Grace", the third element "Brigid" and the fourth element "Chantal".

The fifth and final tunnel element will be immersed in the River during the week commencing 20 October. This element will be immersed within the float-out structure, i.e. a canal built to link the casting basin to the Shannon for the transport of the elements into the river.

With the completion of the fifth element immersion we will be able, for the first time in history, to cross under the River Shannon from Coonagh on the North Bank to Bunlicky on the South Bank.

The Limerick Tunnel is one of the largest projects undertaken in the Western Region, at a cost of over 500Million euros. The Limerick Tunnel Project is Phase II of the Limerick South Ring Road Project connecting the Dublin Road, N7 to the Ennis Road - N18. The estimated completion date is 2010. The construction of the Limerick Tunnel began in August 2006.