Well love it or hate it, the day finally arrived for the opening of the long awaited Gibraltar Airport tunnel.
The road tunnel underneath the runway in Gibraltar Airport, known as Kingsway, was finally opened for vehicles on Friday 31 March 2023. Kingsway includes the road and tunnels that gp between Devil’s Tower Road to the area of the Eastgate roundabout.
This is now the sole access point for all commercial vehicles, cars and motorcycles for access to the frontier, Gibraltar Airport, the Eroski supermarket, the Western Beach area and the Four Corners. The existing road that runs across the Gibraltar Airport runway will still need be used for all pedestrians and bicycles. The new tunnel is only for cars and motorbikes.
On Thursday 30 March 2023, the Chief Minister and former Chief Minister both took a drive northbound through Kingsway in their own vehicles, before the cutting of the ribbons ceremony which took pace at the tunnel’s Eastgate entrance.
Around 15 years ago, the construction of a 350-metre long tunnel began, which is famously known as the Eastside Tunnel. The initial contract for building this tunnel was granted in 2008, during the tenure of Sir Peter Caruana as the Chief Minister.
The honorable Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, took a moment to reflect and pay tribute to the tireless efforts of both administrations that led to the successful completion of the tunnel project. Despite facing nearly five years of litigation that suspended its construction, the project was eventually brought to fruition thanks to the unwavering determination of all those involved.
The Chief Minister expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the hardworking individuals who made it all possible. This included the workers who put in countless hours on the ground, the dedicated engineering teams who ensured that every detail was accounted for, and the expert project management teams who oversaw the entire operation. Special recognition was also given to GJBS, as well as to his predecessor, Sir Peter Caruana, whose leadership laid the groundwork for this monumental achievement.
Picardo said: “I am honoured today to inaugurate Kingsway together with my predecessor, the former Chief Minister Sir Peter Caruana, under whose administration the tunnel was commissioned. This major national infrastructure project has spanned both our successive governments and has required us, as political opponents and never political enemies, to work towards a long-term goal for the benefit of Gibraltar as a whole. Kingsway will stand as a testament to the collective Gibraltarian spirit and resolve in ensuring the betterment today of the Gibraltar of tomorrow.”