A new relief road at Mitchelstown, Co Cork, will be officially opened by Minister for Transport Martin Cullen later today.
The Mitchelstown relief road was built four months ahead of schedule and within the budget of €10 million. It is designed to alleviate traffic in the town before the opening of the Fermoy bypass in December.
The relief road will leave the existing N8 just north of Cahir Hill, crossing the main Mitchelstown to Limerick road at a roundabout behind the Firgrove Hotel. It will rejoin the existing N8 a mile south of the town.
The road will be opened at 1pm this afternoon.
Peter Malone, Chairman of the National Roads Association said the new road will take up to 30 minutes off journey times at peak hours.
He said he expected the Fermoy bypass to be opened by October of this year.