Tenders sought for Co Wicklow dual-carriageway

Wicklow County Council has advertised for tenders for the building of 16.5km of dual-carriageway between Rathnew and Arklow.

The road is the final section of a dual-carriageway linking Donnybrook in Dublin and Gorey, Co Wexford.

It is expected to cost €120 million, and take up to three years to complete.

Advertising on the Government's e-tendering website yesterday, the council said it was seeking a contractor to design and build the section of the N11 between the existing Arklow bypass and the Ashford- Rathnew bypass.

The Arklow bypass was completed in 1999, and the Ashford-Rathnew bypass was opened last year. The contract includes two grade-separated interchanges near the Beehive junction and the Jack White's junction of the existing N11.

Three overbridges, five underbridges, a cattle underpass and the realignment of regional and local roads are also proposed.

The corporate affairs director of the National Roads Authority (NRA), Michael Egan, said construction of the road would most likely begin next year.

Members of Wicklow County Council caused controversy last year when they rezoned land along the N11 near Jack White's junction which was required for the road improvement scheme.

All stretches of the N11 are part of Euroroute E01, a transEuropean route around these islands. The complete Irish section is from Larne, Co Antrim, to Rosslare, Co Wexford, linking the ports of Larne, Belfast, Dublin and Rosslare, and the airports of Dublin and Belfast.

Meanwhile, the NRA has announced that it is to divide the construction of the southern section of the N9 motorway between Waterford City and Powerstown, south of Carlow, into two schemes.

The separation will allow the section closest to Waterford City to go to construction about a year earlier than expected in 2006 or 2007.

Mr Egan said the section closest to Waterford would be the poorest stretch of road, with very little opportunity to overtake. However, he insisted the other sections of the N9 would not be delayed by the move. "It is not a case of bringing one forward at the expense of the other."