ABSTRACT
Detailed design work will commence within two months and the project is expected to start on site within two years. At this stage only preliminary surveys and site investigations have been carried out. There is a high degree of uncertainty about the full extent of relining that will be needed in the tunnel. At present there is a bill before the national parliament which, if enacted, will have a significant impact on safety measures needed to protect the operatives on the project. The City Planning Authority is still deliberating on the extent of disruption to road traffic that they will allow during the site work. There is a proposal that the contractors should be required to make special access provisions which involve temporary tunnels to avoid disruption to traffic. The final decision on this will not be made for another nine months as there is about to be an election for City Authority Representatives. At this point in the project the brief has not been fully developed and there is still some uncertainty about the extent of the work generally.
