TWO firms have won the contract to build a much-anticipated underpass for Dublin Airport.
Mayo-based Wills Bros Ltd and Sacyr Ireland Ltd have been awarded the €265m contract as a joint venture, which will see them construct the new West Apron Vehicle Underpass at the airport.
The project, which is scheduled for completion by August 2030, will see the construction of a 1.1-kilometre subterranean twin-cell tunnel connecting Pier 3 at Dublin Airport to the West Apron.
The underpass will pass beneath key operational areas including the Cross Runway at Dublin Airport and four taxiways.
“The underpass will provide a dedicated, segregated route for airside vehicles - such as cargo operators, fuel bowsers, tugs, loaders, steps, and catering trucks - between the remote West Apron and the Eastern Campus, where most airport services and facilities are located,” a Dublin Airport spokesperson confirmed.
“This underpass is about keeping people safe and keeping the airport moving. It’s a critical piece of infrastructure that’ll make a big difference - cutting travel times, boosting efficiency, and future-proofing the place as we grow. It’s the right project, at the right time, with the right team to deliver it,” Kenny Jacobs, CEO at Dublin Airport operators daa, said this week.
Alejandro Mendoza, Director of Operations at Sacyr UK, Ireland and Sweden, said the firm is looking forward to beginning work on the project.
"We look forward to working together with daa to create improved access and safety on the airfield at Dublin Airport in a construction project that will help meet the needs of its passengers, whilst ensuring Dublin Airport can develop as a leading European and transatlantic hub,” he said.
Wills Bros Contracts Director Aidan McCaul said the firm was “delighted” to be involved in the project.
“As a family-run business with over 53 years of experience, our self-delivery model has enabled us to consistently deliver large and complex civil engineering projects across Ireland,” he explained.
“With a dedicated office in the Dublin region, we’re proud to bring our proven capability and commitment to excellence to this important development for daa.”
Previously Wills Bros and Sacyr worked jointly as part of the 'SWS Joint Venture' to deliver the A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe highway, one of the largest infrastructure projects built to date, delivered for the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
