It took a year and two days, but the damage done by a truck driver accidentally crashing his load into the Acton Tunnel has finally been repaired.
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But despite a total $1.46 million repair bill flowing from the driver's height mistake, the ACT government has not yet decided whether to include a sign giving the tunnel's height.
The replacement of about 80 damaged tiles from the tunnel's roof over Parkes Way was completed on October 22. The bill, including $260,000 for the immediate Roads ACT response, is being covered by insurance.
A Transport Canberra and City Services spokesman said on Friday there were no changes to permanent signage associated with the completed Acton Tunnel works, although warning signs that were damaged during the incident within the tunnel were replaced.
"While the current national practice does not require height clearance signage for a tunnel in excess of five metres, Roads ACT is currently looking into installing appropriate warning signage at this site," he said.
Queanbeyan man Steven Klaus Tietze, 49, was fined $3000 in August after being charged with failing to comply with dimension requirements.
He had checked the height of the truck and excavator against the height of the tunnel before he drove through the eastbound lane without incident moments before the crash, the ACT Magistrates Court heard.
He then drove over the Edinburgh Avenue Bridge before he headed back towards the tunnel in the westbound lane, assuming the load would fit.
The court heard the slope of the road meant the tunnel's roof height differed slightly but was always above five metres.
Tietze had measured the excavator's height at 4.8 metres that morning, but court documents said it must have been above 5.1 metres.
The government spokesman said the repairs schedule was influenced by asbestos in the tunnel and a five-month period between the decision to repair and replace only the damaged tiles and the insurance assessor's approval of this in June.
The repair contract was awarded on August 4, the spokesman said.
The crash shut the westbound tunnel for more than 50 hours, with the speed limit returning to 90km/h only one month after its re-opening.
Repairs had, in February, been expected to be completed in June. Transport Canberra and City Services attributed inclement weather for a further extension earlier this month.
The court heard the prosecution would not seek reparation for the crash and Tietze had limited capacity to pay a fine.
