FINTAN CASSIDY,
Madam, - Frank McDonald's piece in your issue of January 9th breaks the news that the Dublin Port Tunnel project is the most expensive road scheme yet carried out in this country. The latest price rise of €175 million to the contract award cost of €450 million is attributed to land acquisition, compensation and supervision of the contract.
The twin tunnels are due to directly underpass 315 houses and the maximum amount offered is €6,350 including both underground land acquisition and compensation for disturbance during construction and operation of the tunnels. At the most, this would amount to less than €2 million.
The tunnelling is running three months behind schedule because the southbound tunnel boring machine ran into unforeseen and difficult ground conditions despite the fact that the tunnel designers had clear access to drill unlimited test bore-holes in the start-up area. As happened with the recent subsidence problem in Fairview Park, they got it wrong in the two areas in which they should have greatest knowledge of underground conditions. They are now working 24 hours round the clock to make up time. This must be contributing largely to the massive cost increase.
Back in 1994/1995 when the corridor route for the DPT was chosen, a cost benefit analysis was carried out on several access options to the port area. The Whitehall to East Wall corridor narrowly won out over the option of a tunnel running on a West/East axis into Dublin. The cost then was £97 million for a single tunnel or £127 million for two tunnels. No further cost benefit analyses have since been carried out or made public.
Even allowing for inflation and some other generous cost increases, the Dublin Port Tunnel with its height limitations is now surely the most expensive white elephant project in the history of this State. - Yours, etc.,
FINTAN CASSIDY, Annadale Crescent, Marino, Dublin 9.