Many new initiatives, from bendy buses and Luas in Dublin to improved rural bus and air services in the provinces, not to mention a host of motorway by-passes, were paraded before us in 2001.
It was the year that work finally got under way on the construction of the Dublin Port Tunnel; Dublin's M50 extension opened to Ballinteer and work proceeded on the final section to Shankill; construction began on the second Westlink Bridge and new DART cars began operating between Malahide and Greystones.
Dublin Bus expanded its fleet to more than 1,000 buses - many of them new - and plans were announced for new bus depots on the edge of the city to improve frequency along the expanding number of Quality Bus Corridors.
And for all that, journey times in the city grew longer.
Outside Dublin the local arguments between business interests in rival towns over who would be served by the proposed new motorways, were overtaken by a campaign against the motorways being built at all. Then as the National Roads Authority tried to point out the importance of the proposed motorways from Dublin to provincial cities of Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Galway, farmers decided to ban local authority and NRA personnel from the land in an argument over compensation.
It was also the last year of drafting of the National Spatial Strategy, which would assist the development of growth centres outside Dublin. "Connectivity", we were told, would be the deciding factor of where the growth could be, and in this regard the roads, railways and broadband communications and critical-mass of population were all important.
And with Iarnr≤d ╔ireann announcing that it wanted out of the freight business, the future of regional prosperity was back to a question of where the roads were going. Such a move did not appeal to all and the Campaign for Sensible Transport was set up to promote more effective use of public transport above more roads.
The Minister for Public Enterprise announced a grant scheme for new rural public transport projects, additional funding for regional air services and more money for the rail safety programme, including improvements to mainline rail services.
Back in Dublin, the Minister was said to be deeply offended when the Opposition criticised her display of the first Luas tram in Merrion Square, at least two years before its commissioning.
Comparisons were made to Mussolini's propaganda films featuring cardboard aeroplanes, a motion was tabled in the Dβil calling for her removal from office.
While supporters pointed out that Ms O'Rourke has presided over the largest investment programme in public transport in the State's history, the AA continued to point out that public transport in Dublin did not yet offer an alternative to the private car to many people.
Iarnr≤d ╔ireann said the rush hour crowding of its suburban trains was a "comfort issue", rather than a safety issue, and parents of school-going children gave a collective gasp, and continued to drive to schools.
The AA was particularly incensed because development of Park and Ride facilities was not now a priority of the city's transport plan. It pointed out that much of suburban Dublin is not on public transport corridors.
As the year ended "Operation Freeflow", the "emergency measure" as its creator John Bruton described it, entered its sixth Christmas season. Within an hour the city was at a standstill.
But for all that, work is at last started on remedial measures. In three years the Port Tunnel will be ready, the M50 will be completed, the Westlink Bridge will be in place, Luas will be running. Three is the magic number.
It is just that, as Conor Faughnan, public affairs director of the AA, pointed out: "For as long as I can remember the solution has been three years away".