Details of a new "safer roads" system widely used in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries were outlined at a meeting of Monaghan County Council yesterday.
The system is being introduced by the National Roads Authority (NRA) in the building of a number of new motorways, including the N2 Dublin/Derry bypass at Castleblayney.
Monaghan county engineer, Mr David Fallon, said yesterday the new "two-plus-one" system provides for an extra overtaking lane to facilitate vehicles passing each other, with extra safety.
The NRA has confirmed the new system is also being introduced in a number of other road projects outside Co Monaghan.
Mr Fallon announced that three roundabouts are to be provided on the new N2 bypass which will eliminate a dangerous stretch of an existing motorway between the town of Castleblayney and the village of Clontibret. The earliest the project could be undertaken would be in the third quarter of next year, Mr Fallon told Monaghan county mayor, Mr Owen Bannigan.
Cllr Gary Carville (FG) called for speedy settlements with landowners for tracts of property being acquired to build the new bypass.
Cllr Jackie Crowe (SF) said the new bypass was needed urgently to remove heavy traffic from the streets of Castleblayney town where there were three fatalities in the past 18 months involving elderly pedestrians struck by lorries while crossing the street.
Two other N2 bypass projects in the Border county at Carrickmacross and Monaghan town are expected, with the completion of the Castleblayney bypass, to reduce travelling times between the Co Tyrone Border and Dublin by around 50 minutes.
The chief executive of the NRA, Mr Michael Tobin, announced last week that the new Monaghan town bypass, which is designed to end a major traffic bottleneck on the main Dublin/Derry route, will start within a month.