Dublin's C-Ring motorway to be fast-tracked to meet deadline

Dublin's South Eastern Motorway - the final leg of the capital's C-Ring - is to be fast-tracked to ensure that it meets its opening deadline of 2003.

According to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council - the leading local authority on the construction of the C-Ring - this week's Supreme Court settlement with the lone remaining objector to the route also means that almost £1 billion worth of investment projects will now go ahead.

The council has confirmed that the new Tallaght Interchange will open next month and the Southern Cross Motorway is on schedule to be open to Ballinteer by 2001.

There will now be a major push to ensure that a number of local roads serving the Ballinteer Interchange are in place to handle the volume of traffic coming down the new road. These include the Wyckham by-pass, the Green Route, and the realignment of the Ballinteer Road. Work is to begin on the South Eastern Motorway by next year and be completed by 2003.

Following the withdrawal by Jackson Way Properties of its objection to the South Eastern Motorway, almost £1 billion of development projects, which hinge on the proposed motorway, are expected to go ahead.

Other projects which were contingent on the motorway scheme have been estimated by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to be worth some £500 million. The motorway itself is valued at an additional £133 million at 1997 prices.

In addition to the motorway and the link roads, there is expected to be some disruption in the area due to work on the Luas line and the Wyckham/Dundrum by-pass which is taking place at the same time. Fine Gael's traffic spokeswoman, who is also a local TD, and the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, have warned that traffic chaos could ensue.