Work starts on phase two of Cavan bypass

Five years after the opening of the first phase of the Cavan bypass - a 9.5 kilometre link from the Dublin Road to north of Butler's Bridge, work has begun on phase two - a 2.8 kilometre route linking the Dublin Road and Granard roads.

Taken together the roads will provide a 12.3 kilometre southern and eastern bypass of Cavan Town at a cost of €32 million. Work on the final section of the bypass was initiated by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, in Cavan yesterday.

Since the initial phase of the bypass was opened traffic volumes along the N55 from Athlone/Granard into Cavan Town have grown to about 9,000 vehicles a day, leading to delays of up to 30 minutes for traffic entering the town from the Granard direction.

The original section of the bypass allowed traffic heading for Fermanagh and Donegal to bypass the town centre and Butler's Bridge continuing on through Belturbet. A bypass for Belturbet is being designed. Further south on the N3 the preferred route of a bypass for Virginia had been identified. The route links in with the proposed M3 motorway south of Virginia bypassing Kells and Navan and linking up with the Clonee, Co Meath, Mulhuddart, Co Dublin, dual carriageway. The schemes will provide a fast access between Dublin and south Fermanagh. The new Cavan bypass is expected to reduce traffic in the town by 6,000 vehicles a day.