The Government today unveiled its £525 million plan for the N9 route from Kildare to Waterford which is expected to affect at least 470 land-owners and 430 households in three counties.
The preferred route corridor for the N9/N10 from Kilcullen in Co Kildare to Co Waterford through Co Kilkenny was announced in Carlow today.
The route, which is part of the National Development Plan (NDP), envisages a 110-kilometer road, which will be at least 26 metres wide, to serve Kildare, Carlow, Laois, Kilkenny and adjacent counties.
The estimated cost of £525 million for the planned route does not include compensation for the landowners or for compulsory purchases of land or purchases.
At least 22 houses will be within the route’s path, 13 in Kilkenny and nine in Carlow.
The households are being visited by county council officials today, a spokesman for the Kilkenny County Council told ireland.com.
He said the owners of the 420 households, including 230 in Kilkenny, which are within 300 metre distance of the preferred route will be visited by officials over the coming week.
Meanwhile letters have also been sent to the landowners who may be affected by the route and private consultations will take place at various venues this week, he said. Of these, 170 are in Kildare, 70 in Carlow and 230 in Kilkenny.
The preferred route will be on public display from next Monday and public consultations will continue until the end of the year.
The failure to make a final decision on whether the Kilcullen-Waterford route would be a motorway was criticised by the Green Party today. The party also claimed the Government’s road plan was in chaos.
Deputy leader and Carlow County Councillor Ms Mary White said it was bizarre that after spending millions of pounds on a NDP and years of planning, the Government and National Road Authority could not decide on a name.
"What is needed is a fully –integrated Rural Route Plan which will provide for the needs of those living along the route rather than the ‘profit at any price’ of the motorway supporters," she said.
The consultation process is expected to be followed by 18 months of planning, preparing, and design with construction expected to begin sometime in the autumn of 2003.