Tunnelvision numbers exceeded

MORE than 50,000 vehicles are using the Jack Lynch Tunnel each working day, and that figure is expected to rise even further when the final section of the Ballincollig bypass comes on stream and the Mahon Point shopping centre opens for business.

Engineers confirmed yesterday that usage is now far beyond what was envisaged when the tunnel opened in 1999 and that at peak times they are “nearly at optimum levels”.

Back then it was projected the amount of vehicles would hit the 40,000 a day mark only by 2019.

At peak times, between 7.30am and 9am and again from 4.30pm to 6.15, the tunnel is coping with almost 5,000 vehicles an hour.

Meanwhile, weekend figures are fast approaching the 2019 prediction with anything between 30,000 and 35,000 vehicles passing through daily.

Engineers are forecasting that the imminent opening of the final section of the Ballincollig bypass and the Mahon Point shopping centre could lead to thousands more vehicles using the Jack Lynch Tunnel.

Manager of the tunnel Dan O’Neill said he hoped new works proposed for the Dunkettle interchange would go ahead sooner rather than later, as this would help flow and ease congestion.

These plans include putting traffic lights on all approach roads and creating an extra lane on the inside of the roundabout. It is also proposed to build a slip road from the Cork side to the Glanmire bypass, thus taking traffic heading north away from the roundabout.