TWO MAJOR road-building projects that would have relieved traffic congestion in Dublin and its surrounding areas have been abandoned by the Government.
The Department of Transport has confirmed that plans are on hold for both an outer orbital route that would bypass the Greater Dublin region and the eastern bypass that would be a continuation southwards of the Port Tunnel with a link to the M50 at Sandyford.
"They are not going anywhere for the moment," a Department spokeswoman told The Irish Times. "The Department is focused on Transport 21 projects." Neither project was contained in the Government's Transport 21 plan but both have been deemed "economically and environmentally feasible" by separate studies carried out by the National Roads Authority. The spokeswoman said finance from Government coffers for the projects was "just not there" despite the NRA's green light for both.
It is understood that the Green party, while agreeing to the completion of motorway standard links between the State's main urban centres, is not in favour of any other costly road-building projects going ahead. The network of inter-urban routes is expected to be finished by 2010, but after that the focus in the Department is expected to shift. "From 2010 to 2015 the focus will be very much on public transport," one source told The Irish Times.
The orbital route was to link Drogheda, Co Louth, Navan, Co Meath and Naas, Co Kildare, travelling in a semi-circle inland around the capital and its surrounding areas. It would also link up towns such as Slane, Trim, Kilcock and Kilcullen.
The road would cost at least €1 billion to build but would carry up to 55,000 vehicles per day. The eastern bypass would be a continuation of the Dublin Port Tunnel travelling south under the Liffey. It would link up with the M50 close to Sandyford.
