Mayo contractor jointly awarded construction of underpass at Dublin Airport

A €265 million construction contract has been jointly awarded to Mayo company Wills Bros Ltd and Sacyr Ireland Ltd. daa, the operator of Dublin Airport, has announced the awarding of the contract to construct the new West Apron Vehicle Underpass at Dublin 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 (16/34) 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.

“We are delighted to be awarded this critical project for the daa. 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," said Aidan McCaul, Contracts Director at Wills Bros.

“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.” He added.

Wills Bros and Sacyr were previously engaged in a joint venture 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.

Construction will be carried out using cut-and-cover techniques, with a full traffic management plan in place to minimise disruption to airport operations and the local community.