Repair work on the Dammam Tunnel near the sports stadium is still underway a year after the closure of the tunnel. The tunnel was closed to traffic completely on Dec. 25, 2008 to undergo major repairs, such as preventing water leakage from the side walls and underground, fixing fallen ceramic tiles, repairing road damage due to water leakage, fixing lights and arranging proper routing of sewage water flow channels. Earlier municipal authorities expected to reopen the tunnel by the end of this year, but work at the tunnel is going on at a snail's pace and about 30 percent of the work has still to be completed. According to contractors, it will take more than three months to complete the major repair job which is costing a total of SR48.6 million. The contractor, a Chinese company, actually only started the repairs two months after getting the job. Removal of concrete scrap and the use of heavy equipment that may affect the foundation and structures of the buildings adjacent to the tunnel were also considered part of the repair project. Also, working hours were timed to the period when the ground water level is low in order to protect nearby infrastructure. Motorists are desperately waiting for the reopening of the tunnel as they experience daily traffic jams and lose valuable time in being detoured away from the site. The closure of the highway tunnel causes heavy traffic disruptions and chaos especially during peak hours.
