Preferred N6 route for June display

Westmeath County Council is to put the preferred route of the Kinnegad-to-Athlone section of the N6 on display for public comment…

Westmeath County Council is to put the preferred route of the Kinnegad-to-Athlone section of the N6 on display for public comment from June 14th to 21st.

The 60-km £200 million scheme, part of the upgraded Dublin-Galway road, will be subject to an environmental impact assessment to be submitted to the Minister for the Environment.

The route, described as the "emerging preferred route", was presented to members of Westmeath and Offaly county councils at separate meetings last Friday.

Westmeath County Council has moved to clarify the fact that the route is still subject to change. A spokeswoman said the assertion of the National Roads Authority (as reported in last Saturday's Irish Times) that "route five" had been chosen was inaccurate.

The route, she said, was an amalgam of many options and had been amended by members of the county council as late as Friday last.

The spokeswoman said it was now planned to have six interchanges (and not five as reported in The Irish Times). These are to serve the towns of Rochfortbridge, Tyrellspass, Kilbeggan, Moate, Farnagh and Athlone.

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Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist