Gozo tunnel project moves ahead, tender issued for geological data

Transport Malta has issued a tender for the gathering of geological data on the sub-surface of the proposed Malta-Gozo Channel.

The winning contractor will carry geotechnical investigations at various locations both on land and in the channel, with drilling expected to reach approximately 200m below the sea bed in some areas, Transport Malta said yesterday.

The extracted core samples will help establish the geological formations of the area, which will eventually determine the feasibility of constructing a tunnel.

The investigations forming part of this tender are part of wider studies being commissioned in order to gather information about the sub-surface conditions of the proposed tunnel route between Malta and Gozo and ultimately establish a geological model of the area under investigation. The model will, in turn, form the basis for the conceptual design of the tunnel.

Transport Malta explained: “The government has embarked on a long-term strategy to address the problems faced every day by Gozitan commuters. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of vehicles crossing increased by 4.1 per cent every year. In 2010, an average of 1,500 vehicles crossed each day in each direction. Last year, according to the NSO, a total of 1,348,502 vehicles made the crossing – an increase of 23 per cent over the 2010 traffic. The study is a major milestone in the process to eventually establish a fixed link between Malta and Gozo.”