A route for a £35 million bypass of Tullamore has finally been agreed by members of Offaly County Council.
The decision was reached at a meeting of the local authority on Monday after more than two years of debate and public consultation on a number of suggested routes.
The final route chosen was sharply resisted by the residents of Mucklagh outside Tullamore who claim their village will be split in two by the new road.
The plan will also result in the demolition of one resident's house and locals claim it will not alleviate traffic congestion. They expressed disappointment at the decision.
The route adopted, which has become known as the council's "compromise route", was drawn up after part of its "preferred route" through Chareleville estate was designated as a candidate special area of conservation (SAC) due to the presence of the vertigo moulinsiana, a rare species of snail.
One-third of the preferred route was altered in reaching the compromise route and the plan now is for the 15 km bypass to go in a south-west direction from Durrow to Mucklagh, skirting the SAC.
Many members of the council, in voting for the route which has been agreed, said they did so with reluctance. They said the route they were opting for was not the best one, but was the only one now available and it had to be given the go-ahead to alleviate traffic congestion in Tullamore.
The route was given the go-ahead by 16 votes to three.
Council member Mr Sean O'Brien said it was time to "bite the bullet". While there were still "major difficulties" with the new route he feared the funding set aside for the bypass would be lost if it was not drawn down soon.
Mr John Flanagan, another member, said he would have preferred the original route. He sought assurances that the landowners who would be affected by the development would be treated fairly and honourably.
Mr Barry Cowen, a brother of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and a former chairman of the council, said the plan would cause difficulties for residents in the area, including his own family, but he hoped every effort would be made by the project team to lessen them so that the bypass could be constructed for the greater good.
Senator Pat Moylan said D·chas, the Heritage Service, was "forcing" the council to take the wrong option by backing the extension of the SAC.
Ms Connie Hanniffy said the plan would result in "the whole community being chopped to pieces".
Another council member, Ms Molly Buckley, said she believed alternative routes should still be looked at.
The county manager, Mr Niall Sweeney, said public consultation on possible routes began in September 1999 when six options were looked at. A preferred route emerged but after consultations with D·chas, it was not an option.
"I can honestly say after looking at all routes, in my opinion there are no other routes available at this point in time."
The manager said the compromise route was "the second-best route" available but was "not a bad route. There is nothing wrong with it and it will fulfil its function".
He said the council's doors would be open to deal "fairly and squarely" with those adversely affected by the bypass.
"I would hate the feeling to emerge from this chamber that the bypass will be of poor quality. It's not the first preference but it is a very good second. It's a good, sound solution to the problem."
The plans will now be presented to the National Roads Authority and barring delays or a challenge in the courts, it is estimated the bypass could be complete in three to four years.