THE LAST section of the €424 million motorway from Limerick to Nenagh was finally opened yesterday, with up to 20,000 vehicles expected to bypass some of the country’s worst accident spots.
The opening of the Birdhill to Limerick section of the M7 was delayed by over a year. Work started on the 12.5km section of the scheme in 2006 and it was scheduled to open in May 2009. However, the contractors ran into major difficulties when part of the road sank into a bog at Annaholty. As a result, a 100m section of the road had to be excavated and rebuilt from scratch.
Speaking at yesterday’s official opening, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said: “It was extremely difficult, it delayed the project by almost 12 months and undoubtedly caused huge difficulties but they’ve found a solution which I’m told is very reliable.”
The completed €424 million contract won by Bothar Hibernian included 28km of dual carriageway, with a single carriageway link to the main road at Birdhill and the upgrading of 10km of the Nenagh bypass to dual carriageway standard.
According to the National Roads Authority, the Nenagh to Limerick section of the M7 will result in safer journeys and time savings for some 20,000 motorists, who will bypass accident spots like Daly’s Cross and Yellowbridge.
Journey times to Dublin will be reduced further when the final section of the M7, from Castletown in Co Laois to Nenagh, opens later this year.
This will allow motorists to bypass Roscrea, Moneygall and Toomevara, completing the M7 motorway between Limerick and Dublin. Mr Dempsey said the roads authority was reviewing roads plans for the next 25 years, but said no new motorways were planned.
Instead, work would be carried out on upkeep and maintenance of existing road networks.
Yesterday’s official opening ceremony was disrupted after subcontractors blocked the entrance to the new section of motorway at the Castleconnell roundabout. Tipperary North TD Márie Hoctor claimed the subcontractors were owed in the region of €2 million.
However, Kevin McAdoo, commercial manager with Bothar Hibernian, insisted the matter was a private issue between two companies and had been resolved.