Shut 82 nights: Frustration at growing number of days Jack Lynch Tunnel is closed for upkeep

The Jack Lynch Tunnel’s ageing systems contributed to 82 overnight closures last year, an 86% increase on 2023, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has said.

In 2023, the tunnel had 44 closures, while in 2022 it had 40, and in 2021 it had 64.

According to figures released to The Echo by TII, the tunnel, which is one of Cork’s most critical pieces of road infrastructure, was fully or partially closed overnight for 23% of 2024.

There were no closures in December, while October saw the most closures, at 15, and, on average, the tunnel was fully or partially closed at night for 6.83 days each month, or almost a week.

Figures released at the start of November to Pádraig O’Sullivan, the Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central, showed that the tunnel had already had 67 closures by that time and that management projected the figure would rise to 75 by year’s end.

Mr O’Sullivan said public frustration at ongoing tunnel closures needed to be properly addressed.

“I think it’s time that the TII and tunnel management give further detail to the public in relation to the closures,” he said.

“I don’t think advertising closures for ‘routine maintenance’ is sufficient, and I think it would be beneficial if more detail was provided to the public.”

On four occasions in 2024 — in January, April, July and October — the tunnel was fully closed overnight for two nights of planned maintenance.

According to TII’s figures, the tunnel was closed six times in 2024 for CCTV and network upgrades, while seven closures related to the Dunkettle Interchange Upgrade Scheme.

Among the reasons listed for the closures, 58 are ‘MV/LV’, which refers to the replacement of the tunnel’s original medium voltage/low voltage power supply equipment. Sunday, June 2, saw the year’s only daytime closure when the tunnel’s north bore was closed from 7am to 3pm to facilitate the Cork City Marathon.

A spokesperson for TII said: “Where possible, TII strives to give the public as much notice as possible” through media, the Jack Lynch Tunnel website, on social media, and on message signs on approaches to the tunnel in the weeks leading up to the closures.

Several renewal projects were currently under way, it stated, including the replacement or upgrade of major tunnel systems such as CCTV and electrical substation infrastructure, “and various other minor projects works”.

It added that, with the tunnel being 25 years old, the number of key tunnel systems needing replacement had significantly increased.

“Routine tunnel maintenance closures take place at the tunnel over two to three days typically, every three months, but additional tunnel closures were required in 2024 for major tunnel projects and to facilitate works as part of the Dunkettle Interchange Upgrade Scheme,” it stated.

The TII said that additional closures of the tunnel would be necessary over the coming years while key tunnel systems were replaced or upgraded.