Tunnel works to have a ‘tsunami effect’ on business
Talks between city officials and business leaders began yesterday on a major traffic management plan to minimise disruption caused by safety works on the Jack Lynch Tunnel and the building of two flyovers on the N25 South Ring Road.
The separate contracts are due to take place at the same time — on one of the country’s busiest roads.
The tunnel is used by 64,000 vehicles daily.
Work on the €60 million flyovers of the Sarsfield Road and Bandon Road roundabouts has started, and is expected to take two years to complete.
The €5m project on the Jack Lynch Tunnel, designed to bring it into line with new EU fire regulations, is due to start in October.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) has confirmed that both tunnel bores will be closed for 11 hours each weekday night from October until March 2012. Contracts for this project have yet to be signed.
Cork Business Association CBA chief executive Donal Healy said his members are extremely concerned about the impact both projects will have on trade.
“The tunnel is the main southeast link and vital gateway to the viability of business across so many sectors, including the city centre,” he said.
“Closure of the tunnel for six months has the potential to have a tsunami effect on business and jobs.”
Property developer Owen O’Callaghan, who developed the massive Mahon Point shopping centre, has outlined to the CBA executive his concerns about the tunnel project.
Traders at Wilton Shopping Centre have also raised concerns about the impact the flyover works will have on their businesses.
Mr Healy met with city engineers yesterday to discuss the concerns.
“We welcome the consultation but we would urge the deferral of these works until January 2012 because 25% of our members’ trade is done in the run-up to Christmas,” he said.
He has asked city engineers to build certain guarantees into the tunnel contract including:
nthat all work would cease between November 15 and January 15;
nthat one tunnel bore would be kept open at all times during the works;
nand that the work would only take place between 10pm and 7am to facilitate late-night shopping.
