Part of motorway which sank into bog to open in October

A SECTION of a major new motorway which collapsed into a bog looks finally set to open, road authorities have confirmed.

A SECTION of a major new motorway which collapsed into a bog looks finally set to open, road authorities have confirmed.

A massive operation has been under way for several months to finish part of the M7 Limerick to Nenagh bypass, which was due for completion in May 2009.

The €425 million road will link Limerick Southern Ring Road with the existing Nenagh bypass.

The project consisted of 28km of dual carriageway built to motorway standard, with a single carriageway link to the main road at Birdhill, and the upgrading of 10km of the Nenagh bypass to motorway standard. About 25km of this project has been completed and is open to traffic, including a 16km length of road between Nenagh and Birdhill.

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The construction of the project was contracted to Bothar Hibernian four years ago, but the contractors ran into serious difficulties when a section of road collapsed earlier this year.

The difficulties arose at Anaholty bog, about midway between Birdhill and Annacotty, where the road – which was almost complete by the end of last year – unexpectedly started to sink into the bog.

The new M7 between the Birdhill Intersection and Five Alley (Nenagh) was opened to traffic at Easter, and the upgraded Nenagh bypass had already reopened.

However, motorists have had to use the old N7 between Birdhill and Annacotty due to the delay caused by the difficulties at Anaholty bog.

Tens of thousands of steel reinforced concrete piles were initially driven into the bog in an effort to support the road, and a concrete and steel bridge has also been constructed to establish a stable base for the road. It was confirmed yesterday that the section of road will finally open to traffic in October.

“From all reports from the contractor, we are confident that this will be completed in October and opened in October,” said Sean O’Neill of the National Roads Authority.

“It is a long time coming and obviously it has been significantly delayed, but we are confident that the contractor has found a good solution to the issues and they have done a good job wrapping up the contract,” he added.

Mr O’Neill also confirmed yesterday the last section of the project from Nenagh to Castletown is on schedule and is due for completion in November.

This project starts at the most easterly junction of the Nenagh bypass and finishes at the Borris-in-Ossory interchange. It is being constructed as part of the M7/M8 scheme.