Sod turned on €570m Shannon tunnel

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen turned the first sod yesterday on a tunnel highway which will run under the River Shannon near Limerick, opening up a new western transport corridor.

Up to 400 construction workers will be employed on the €570 million scheme over the next four years in one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken in this country.

The 9.7km four-lane roadway will include 900m of tunnel — 675m of which will be under the Shannon — 11 bridges, six underpasses and four interchanges.