Wicklow County Council will sign a contract with Ascon Ltd this morning for the construction of the controversial road-widening scheme through the Glen of the Downs.
More than 10 years after the council first mooted its plans for a road-widening scheme between the southern end of the glen and Kilmacanogue village, and some three years after the anti-roads protesters constructed their treehouses, work is to get under way on the scheme, which is now valued at £30 million.
The scheme is to be completed in 2 1/2 years' time. It is part of a major regional road works plan to have a dual carriageway from Gorey in north Co Wexford to the Dublin ring route. Other aspects of the plan include bypasses for Rathnew and Arklow in Co Wicklow.
The council, which won out over the anti-roads protesters in the High and Supreme Courts, said it intended to plant 6,000 new trees to replace the 500 already felled in the glen.
According to Mr George Jones, chairman of Wicklow County Council, the road-widening scheme was unavoidable.
The speed limit on the road had been reduced from 60 m.p.h. to 50 m.p.h.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/8a09a42a-bf7b-491e-848d-432f8309b3fa.png)