A consortium of business interests in Co Louth is taking legal advice on whether to challenge the decision to toll the M1 motorway between Gormanstown and Dunleer, commonly known as the Drogheda bypass.
A legal opinion prepared by a senior counsel is understood to support seeking a judicial review of the decision by An Bord Pleanála to approve the scheme, which opponents say will have a detrimental effect on business and tourism as well as being an additional financial burden on motorists.
If the legal challenge was successful it could have repercussions for other tolling schemes currently being mooted.
Both An Bord Pleanála and the National Roads Authority held oral hearings into the M1 scheme and it was finally approved on June 12th last.
Opponents have until Tuesday next to object to it and a decision on whether to proceed with the legal action will be made over this weekend.
The motorway will be 21 kilometres long and would join the existing Balbriggan and Dunleer bypasses.
While welcomed in principle, the proposed tolling scheme, which involves two tolling booths either side of exits into Drogheda, has met with strong criticism.
In approving the scheme the NRA agreed to exempt motorists who exit and return to the road within three hours from paying a second toll and to give a 20 per cent discount on prepaid 20-journey tickets.
In the last few days a group of well-known business people in the county sought legal advice and are understood to be very close to initiating the process of seeking leave in the High Court for a judicial review.
Although the M1 motorway was included in the Meath County Development Plan, the toll plazas were not and could contravene the plan, according to the legal advice.
If this legal point was upheld by the courts it could be used in the future by opponents of other tolling schemes.
The tolls would be used to finance the maintenance of the road as well as the proposed Dundalk Western bypass.