Dempsey gives Speech on Progress

Sponge Bob

Noel has regaled us with a recent speech on the activities of his department that shows how well they have delivered enormous infrastructure improvements ahead of time and on budget.

It bodes well for the future, I quote below .

A billion pounds is being spent on motorways while millions more are earmarked for major road improvements across the country. We pinpoint the main projects


Roadworks. The motorist's nightmare. Tailbacks, traffic cones, temporary traffic lights and privately seething drivers are situations we are all familiar with. Those sights are likely to become even more common under the plans to upgrade the national primary road network between now and 2006. Those used to spending 30 minutes passing through Kildare town on the way to Cork, for example, are likely to get far more frustrated before the situation improves.


As well as the #1 billion investment in "green-field" dual-carriageway developments, road upgrades will be taking place across the country. The Dublin-Border route will see significant development with construction at Cloghran-Lissenhall due to commence in September of this year. The project will finish nearly three years later. The roads between Lissenhall-Balbriggan and in the Dundalk area will also be radically altered. The Drogheda bypass and Dundalk western bypass will be completed by 2003 while the decision to include the Ardee link in the Dunleer-Dundalk upgrading will see an extra #9 million being invested in that section.


On the Galway-Dublin route, the Galway outer by-pass is likely to cause delays from 2003 until its completion three years later. Upgrades between Oranmore and Loughrea and Loughrea and Ballinasloe won't be completed until the end of 2006, while the Ballinasloe by-pass will not start construction until the beginning of 2003. The most significant investment on this route will be the upgrade between Kinnegad and Athlone, a project expected to cost #220 million and that will take four years to complete.



The road between Kilcock and Kinnegad will also be upgraded, while the Celbridge interchange in Kildare will have #5.5 invested in it from the start of next year until the project is completed 12 months later. Dublin commuters will be affected when the area between Leixlip and the M50 junction is upgraded at the beginning of 2002. The project will continue for 21 months and will certainly cause tailbacks.



Within Dublin, the controversial port tunnel project will finally start construction this summer and is due for completion three and a half years later. The second Liffey Valley bridge on the M50 will cost #18 million and take two years to complete. General improvements on the M50 will take place over four years, commencing in 2002.


Construction has already begun on the Southern Cross route while the south-eastern motorway is due for completion at the end of 2003. The estimated costs of that route have increased 25 per cent because of the surge of land prices recently. Plans for the eastern by-pass have yet to be evaluated by the National Roads Authority but it is expected to cost #725 million and to take five years to construct.


Heading south to Cork, the least expensive but most important project will be the Cashel bypass as traffic in the town can increase journey times by up to half an hour. That project will be completed in late 2004.



The road between Cashel and Culahill will also see significant improvements, as will the section between Culahill and Portlaoise.


Further south, the area between Cashel and the Limerick border will see improvements totalling #210 million while bypasses in Watergrasshill, north of Watergrasshill and in Fermoy itself will be completed by 2003 and 2004 respectively.


From Limerick, the south ring road will be upgraded in two phases while the road to Nenagh will have #106 million invested in it between mid-2002 and the end of 2005. The Nenagh by-pass itself will be opened next month, nine months ahead of schedule. The Nenagh-Castletown-Portlaoise route will be upgraded between 2003 and 2006.


The tendering process for the Kildare bypass is already completed with the project due to be finished by the end of 2002. Work on the Monasterevin bypass is to be completed by the end of 2004. Widening of the Naas road will be in progress for two years from 2002; at the same time the area of the road leading to Kildare will be upgraded at a cost of #15 million.


The southeast will see the Kilcullen-Carlow bypass-Waterford route upgraded between 2004 and 2007. Meanwhile, the Waterford bypass commences construction at the end of next year at a cost of #90 million.



That project will be ready by the end of 2004.



To fund the developments, tolls are to be introduced at various points on the routes. Motorists travelling north will pay a toll at Boyne bridge, a part of the Dundalk western bypass. Those travelling west and northwest will be tolled between Clonee and Kells or, depending on their destination, between Kilcock and Kinnegad. Motorists travelling to Galway will also be tolled at Oranmore. Limerick drivers heading to Dublin will be tolled before they reach Nenagh and again between Portlaoise and Castletown. Dublin motorists heading towards Cork will face tolls between Portlaoise and Culahill and for using the Fermoy bypass. The location for tolling between Waterford and Dublin has yet to be decided.


`Our interpretation of the National Development Plan is that they key inter-urban links have to be upgraded and we're committed to doing that by 2006," said National Road Authority's chief executive, Michael Tobin. He believes that to develop these links the private sector must put resources into it.


`They have to get their money back somehow, and that will be through tolls. They are taking the risk that people will pay the money for the comfort and convenience the new routes will provide," he said.


He dismisses claims that Dublin motorists travelling to and from Dublin are being singled out in the tolling provisions. "In another couple of months we will be bringing out more plans for the rest of the country and there are more possible toll areas to look at yet," he said.

Geniuses they are .

L1011

Amazingly, I think everything in that list with the exception of the Galway outer bypass has actually been started by now? Just, ooh, about 8 years late...

galwayrush

Amazing how little they managed to get done when the country was apparently awash with money:rolleyes:

Davidth88

Dublin commuters will be affected when the area between Leixlip and the M50 junction is upgraded at the beginning of 2002. The project will continue for 21 months and will certainly cause tailbacks.

Is that the Newcastle Junction works that are currently being carried out ?

In which case thats 5 years late .

The Nenagh-Castletown-Portlaoise route will be upgraded between 2003 and 2006.

Errrr started in 2006 , so 2 years late at least

The southeast will see the Kilcullen-Carlow bypass-Waterford route upgraded between 2004 and 2007. Meanwhile, the Waterford bypass commences construction at the end of next year at a cost of #90 million

That project will be ready by the end of 2004.

Wasn't that opened 2-3 weeks ago ? ... 4 years late

Thats just from a quick glance

My god , if I delivered projects that late I would be fired , but if I suppose we should award these guys a pay rise