Entire M9 route open from next month

THE ENTIRE M9 Dublin to Waterford motorway will be open next month following the completion of a final 40km section three months ahead of schedule.

Motorists will be able to use the new section of road – which cost almost €500 million – from lunchtime on Thursday, September 9th, after a planned ribbon-cutting ceremony that morning by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey.

The stretch of new dual carriageway traverses Co Kilkenny from Paulstown to Knocktopher. The biggest change for motorists will be bypassing Kilkenny city, which will be accessible via a new 6km link road.

The completion of the M9, which runs through Counties Kildare, Carlow and Kilkenny and was built in four stages, significantly reduces journey times between Dublin and Waterford.

Mr Dempsey previously commented that “it will be possible to travel from the Red Cow roundabout [on the M50 in Dublin] to Waterford in 90 minutes while observing the speed limit”.

This last stage of the project (including the link road) cost €467 million – just over €10 million per kilometre – which one official said was “reasonable by international standards” as it included “everything” including buying the land, design, archaeological surveys and excavations, and construction. It was developed as a joint venture between Roadbridge and Sisk.

There was good news for motorists with confirmation from the National Roads Authority that the M9 will be toll-free.

The opening means Waterford becomes the third city in the Republic linked to Dublin by motorway following the earlier opening of the M6 to Galway and the M8 to Cork.

The M7 to Limerick is expected to open by the end of the year. Work on its two remaining sections, Castletown to Nenagh (36km) and Nenagh to Limerick (38km) is close to completion.

It was also announced yesterday that the final phase of a western bypass of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, has opened to traffic.

An eastern bypass of the town on the N52 was completed in 2004 and, together with the N4 Dublin to Sligo road, the bypasses now offer an orbital route around the midlands town.

The final scheme will be formally opened to traffic on Monday September 6th by cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council Michael Dollard.