A revised route for the planned dual carriageway from Athlone to Kinnegad has received a mixed reaction among the largest group opposed to the original route.
The latest plan for the 56 km road is a refinement of the one presented in June and addresses engineering concerns as well as economic, environmental and social objections to the original proposed route.
The project engineer, Mr John Ahern, said the "emerging preferred route" had been modified to take into account problems highlighted during a series of public consultation days in June.
Mr David Cooper, who is spokesman for the N6/N52 Action Group, known as NAG, said most of the contact he had with people yesterday indicated that the new line was an improvement on the preferred line.
NAG members, made up of communities from Kilbeggan to Tyrellspass, expressed dissatisfaction that the new line had not been run along the edge of the bogland which lies to the east of the existing road.
"They have been indicating to me that with a little bit more imagination the planners could have eased a lot of the grief on communities along the way," Mr Cooper said.
"However, there have been some positive developments insofar as the route has been moved away from some of the villages which would have suffered most," he said.
But for David and his wife, Louise, who run an organic farm halfway between Kilbeggan and Tyrellspass, the proposed new alignment has created even greater difficulties.
"The new plan will see the road elevated to a much greater extent over our holding and that will create even greater traffic noise levels for us," he said.
He said there appeared to be more winners than losers in the new scheme, but there were still people who would see no benefit from the change.
Cllr Connie Hannify was the sole dissenting voice at the meeting of Offaly County Council this week. She said there would be difficulty obtaining access to the new road near Athlone.
Following presentations to meetings of Westmeath and Offaly County Councils on Monday, the project will move on to more detailed design work, followed by the publication of an environmental impact statement and a compulsory purchase order in the spring. Construction of the new road is scheduled to start in mid-2002, for completion by 2005.