Tailbacks at one of the State's worst traffic bottlenecks will become a thing of the past with the opening of the Monasterevin bypass on Monday, November 8th, almost a year ahead of schedule.
National Roads Authority spokesperson Mr Ray Foley said yesterday the €140 million bypass would be completed 50 weeks earlier than predicted. The new 17.5km stretch was originally scheduled to be completed by autumn 2005.
"The contractors just got on with it. They had good weather all last summer and they got the job done," he said.
"It would certainly be up there with some of the fastest projects completed ahead of schedule."
From November 8th drivers on the Dublin/Cork road will bypass Monasterevin in Co Kildare.
The new stretch of road combined with the bypasses of Naas, Newbridge, Kildare and Portlaoise is expected to shave 90 minutes off the Dublin/Cork journey for motorists. It will also provide unbroken motorway from the Red Cow Inn, Dublin, to Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Up to 16,000 vehicles a day will be removed from Monasterevin, giving businesses and residents welcome relief from traffic jams.
"It will give the town back to the people," said local trader Mr Paul Hyland.
"The passers-by used to give out about Monasterevin, and we used to give out about them because we could not get into our town."
When the Kildare bypass was opened last year, the tailbacks in Monasterevin lengthened, and was almost stationary at times.
"The new bypass will give Monasterevin a chance to grow. Naas grew after it was bypassed, so did Newbridge, and Kildare is beginning to take off. Now it's Monasterevin's turn. I think it will be great for the town," he said.
The contracts for the construction of the road were signed by Kildare and Laois County Councils in February 2003 with Roadbridge Sisk.
The bypass will be officially opened by Minister for Transport, Mr Martin Cullen, near the Montague Hotel on the Portlaoise road.