Cullen to turn first sod on €370m Shannon tunnel road project

THE first sod on a road tunnel under the Shannon — the biggest engineering project ever undertaken in the mid-west — will be turned in Limerick today by Transport Minister Martin Cullen.

The €370 million project will involve the construction of 9.7 kilometres of four-lane roadway of which 900 metres will run beneath the Shannon. The tunnel element will cost in excess of €150m and is expected to be completed in 2010.

Limerick County Council acquired more than 500 acres of land to make way for the new road.