Report backs €2bn Dublin eastern bypass

The National Roads Authority (NRA) is finalising a report that claims a €2 billion-plus Dublin eastern bypass is economically feasible.

The report concludes that the conversion of the C-ring M50 into an orbital motorway around Dublin could almost double again the capacity of the motorway network and provide for significant economic expansion of the capital city, well into the middle of the century.

The NRA will find it difficult, however, to convince cynical Government sources who claim the next stage recommended by the report, the commisioning of a large-scale engineering appraisal of the route (pictured right), would cost over €70 million.

Three options for the bypass have been put forward by the current report, two of which would include a landmark "Dublin Bay Bridge" taking traffic from the Port Tunnel to a causeway or partially tunnelled motorway across Sandymount Strand.

Both options for the new bay bridge are considerably cheaper than the third option of tunnelling into the existing Dublin Port Tunnel from Sandymount Strand.

Costs of the tunnel are said to be "in the low billions".

It is envisaged the motorway would continue from Sandymount/Booterstown to the N11, across Foster Avenue, turning at Goatstown and joining the M50 at Sandyford.

Copies of the report have been sent to the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment.

A comment from both ministers was not forthcoming.

However Minister for the Environment John Gormley is adamantly opposed to the scheme. Mr Gormley previously said he would have "a range of concerns" about the bypass.

The NRA is holding comments until the official launch of the study, but chief executive Fred Barry has said he believes "the economic arguments in favour of the bypass are immense".