Taoiseach opens final section of €280 million N22 Macroom bypass

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has officially opened the final section of the €280 million N22 Macroom to Baile Bhuirne bypass and hailed it as a major piece of infrastructure for the south-west.

Mr Varadkar said the latest six kilometres section of the bypass, which has a capacity to carry 20,000 vehicles a day, will remove some 8,000 vehicles including HGVs from the town of Macroom and the villages of Baile Bhuirne and Baile Mhic Íre in the Múscraí Gaeltacht. It will cut travel times between Cork and Killarney by an estimated 17 minutes.

“The completion of this eagerly anticipated bypass will be of great benefit to the residents of Cork and Kerry and the many visitors to this beautiful region. By improving connectivity between Cork, Killarney and Tralee for business and tourism, this project will boost local, regional and national development,” he said.

“This road will reduce journey times, remove congestion from the towns and villages along the route and lower the fuel costs associated with idling in traffic congestion.

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“It is in keeping with the Government’s approach to bring new life into the centres of our towns and villages and open the door to a range of new opportunities for them, making rural Ireland a better place to live and work and to visit.”

[ New section of €280m Macroom Bypass on the N22 opens to traffic ]

[ Macroom bypass will ‘breathe new life’ into the town ]

[ Macroom begins to benefit from bypass as traffic calms and locals return to shop ]

Construction on the 22km of roadway began in January 2020 and the completed dual carriageway extends from the eastern side of Macroom at Coolcower to the townland of An Sliabh Riabhach on the western side of Baile Bhuirne.