Czech tunnel delays

Progress is being made in the Czech Republic on two key urban tunnel projects. In capital Prague, the Czech contractor Metrostave has now completed the drilling portion of the Letna section of the Blanka road tunnel. Local residents have complained about the noise, vibration and cracks in their properties that they say have been generated by the drilling and blasting work. The project looks as though its completion date will be later than first planned however. The city authorities say that reduced funding will hold back the opening. The city can only provide some €164.6 million. The original opening date for the tunnel was to have been November 2011 but with the shortage of funds, this now looks to be delayed until 2014. Meanwhile in the city of Brno, construction of the Dobrovskeho tunnels will be delayed by around five months following the suspension of the project. Each month of the delay will add some €2.36 million to the overall costs. A legal case was put forward by some local residents that could have delayed or even blocked the work.