MISCELLANEOUS INFO

Below is a list of recently completed and upcoming major road projects. The exact date is not always known. Many roads in Ireland open as dual carriageways and are subsequently redesignated motorways. From a legal perspective, this is a much easier way of getting the motorway built. Click here for more information on this and for a factsheet on the terminology used in road construction in Ireland, which can vary by country.

With such a rich archaeological heritage and large areas of unspoilt scenery, it was inevitable that many road building projects in Ireland would prove to be controversial. An essay on this.


RECENTLY COMPLETED AND UPCOMING ROAD LIST


Date

Standard

Name

Length

Stage

1997-05-29

M

M7 Jct 16-18 Portlaoise

12.5

Complete

1998-xx-xx

M

M1 Jct 5-7 Balbriggan

13

Complete

1998-xx-xx

HQDC

N4 Sligo-Collooney

7.5

Complete

1998-xx-xx

D3AP

N7 Jct 1A(?)-4 Rathcoole-Newlands Cross

5

Complete

1999-01-29

M 2

M11 Arklow BP

6.8

Complete

1999-05-21

HQDC

N25 Jack Lynch Tunnel

12

Complete

2001-01-26

M

M1 Jct 13-16 Dunleer-Dundalk

16

Complete

2001-04-20

D2AP

N20 Blackpool BP

2.5

Complete

2001-07-12

M 2

M20 Patrickswell to Limerick

9.5

Complete

2001-07-31

M

M50 Jct 11-13 N81-Ballinteer

9

Complete

2002-09-30

M 2

M18 Newmarket on Fergus BP

6

Complete

2003-06-09

M

M1 Jct 7-11 Drogheda

22

Complete

2003-06-28

M

M1 Jct 2-5 Airport-Balbriggan

16

Complete

2003-09-12

M 2

M8 Jct 17-18 Watergrasshill

10

Complete

2003-10-22

D2AP

N11 Glen of the Downs

5.5

Complete

2003-11-07

M 2

M18 Hurler's Cross (N Section, N of N19)

3.6

Complete

2003-11-07

HQDC

N18 Hurler's Cross (S Section, S of N19)

3.1

Complete

2003-12-08

M

M7 Jct 12-14 Kildare

12

Complete

2004-05-31

M 2

M7 Jct 28-30 Limerick BP Ph.1

10

Complete

2004-09-27

D2AP

N11 Rathnew / Ashford Bypass (N&S Sections)

5.7

Complete

2004-09-27

M 2

N11 Rathnew / Ashford Bypass (Central Section)

8

Complete

2004-09-20

HQDC

N22 Ballincollig Bypass

11.7

Complete

2004-10-11

M 1

M8 Jct 7-9 Cashel BP

7

Complete

2004-11-08

M

M7 Jct 14-16 Monasterevin

17

Complete

2005-06-30

M

M50 Jct 13-17 Ballinteer-M11

11.4

Complete

2005-07

M 2

M4 Jct 12-13 McNeads Bridge to Kinnegad

6.8

Complete

2005-09-26

M

M1 Jct 16-18 Dundalk

11

Complete

2005-10

M

M50 Jct 15 Carrickmines

0

Complete

2005-12-12

M

M4 Jct 8-12 Kilcock-Kinnegad

36.8

Complete

2005-12-12

M

M6 Jct 1-2 M4 Kilcock-Kinnegad (M6 section)

1

Complete

2006-01

M

M1 Jct 3 Drynam

0

Complete

2006-05-24

HQDC

N2 Ashbourne BP - M50 (S Section)

4

Complete

2006-05-24

M 2

N2 Ashbourne BP - M50 (N Section)

13

Complete

2006-08-15

D3AP

N7 Jct 4-9 Rathcoole-Naas

15

Complete

2006-10-02

M

M8 Jct 14-17 Fermoy

18

Complete

2006-10

HQDC

N25 Kinsale Rd GS

3

Complete

2006-12-05

M 1

M6 Jct 2-4 Kinnegad-Kilbeggan (Kinnegad-Tyrellspass)

19

Complete

2006-12-20

M

M50 Jct 1-2 Dublin Port Tunnel

6

Complete

2007-01-26

M 2

M18 Ennis BP

14

Complete

2007-05-16

M 1

M6 Jct 4-5 Kinnegad-Kilbeggan (Tyrellspass-Kilbeggan)

9

Complete

2007-07-04

M 2

M11 Arklow Gorey Bypass (Gorey BP)

13.5

Complete

2007-08-02

HQDC

N1 Jct 18-20 Dundalk-Newry

10

Complete

2007-09-05

M 2

M11 Arklow Gorey Bypass (Gorey-Arklow)

9.5

Complete

2007-10-15

M 1

M8 Jct 9-10 Cashel-Mitchelstown (Cashel-Cahir)

12

Complete

2008-03

HQDC

N11 Kilpeddar/Delgany Jct

0

Complete

2008-05-29

M 1

M9 Jct 4-6 Carlow BP

19

Complete

2008-07-16

M 1

M6 Jct 5-8 Kilbeggan-Athlone

28

Complete

2008-07-25

M 1

M8 Jct 10-12 Cashel-Mitchelstown (Cahir-Mitchelstown)

28

Complete

2008-12-08

M

M8 Old N8-Jct 4-7 Cullahill-Urlingford-Cashel

40

Complete

2009-05-25

M

M8 Jct 12-14 Mitchelstown-Fermoy

16

Complete

2009-07-06

D3AP

N4 Jct 1-5 M50-Leixlip

5.5

Complete

2009-07-23

M 2

M6 Jct 13-14 Athlone-Ballinasloe

17

Complete

2009-10-19

HQDC

N25 Waterford BP

17.8

Complete

2009-12-18

HQDC

N6 Jct 19-20-Old N6 Ballinasloe-Galway

5

Complete

2009-12-17

M

M7 Nenagh-Limerick (Nenagh BP J24-26)

9.5

Complete

2009-12-18

M 2

M6 Jct 14-19 Ballinasloe-Galway

51

Complete

2009-12-21

M

M9 Jct 2-4 Kilcullen-Carlow

27

Complete

 THE PRESENT DAY

2010-03-18

M

M7 Nenagh-Limerick (Birdhill-Nenagh J26-27)

16.6

Construction

2010-03-22

M 2

M9 Jct 10-12 Kilkenny-Waterford

24

Construction

2010-04

M

M7 Nenagh-Limerick (Limerick-Birdhill J27-28)

11.9

Construction

2010-05

HQDC

N7 Jct 30-33 Limerick BP Ph.2

10

Construction

2010-06

M 2

M3 Clonee/North of Kells (Part 1)

2.7

Construction

2010-06

M

M3 Clonee/North of Kells (Part 2)

43

Construction

2010-06

D2AP

M3 Clonee/North of Kells (Part 3)

12.6

Construction

2010-08

M 2

M18 Gort to Crusheen

22

Construction

2010-09

M

M7 Jct 21-24 Castletown-Nenagh

45

Construction

2010-09

M 2

M9 Jct 6-10 Carlow-Kilkenny

40

Construction

2010-12

M

M7 Jct 18-21 M7/M8 Portlaoise (Portlaoise-Mountrath)

26

Construction

2010-12

M

M8 Jct 1-3-Old N8 M7/M8 Portlaoise (Aghaboe-Cullahill)

14

Construction

2012-05

HQDC

N7 Jct 1A(?) Newlands Cross

0

Preliminary Design

2013-07

M 2

M17/M18 Oranmore-Galway-Tuam

57

Preliminary Design

2013-07

HQDC

N11 Arklow to Rathnew

16.4

Preliminary Design

2014-07

D2AP

N25 New Ross Bypass

13.6

Preliminary Design

2012

HQDC

N25 Bandon/Sarsfield Rds GS

3

Preliminary Design

2012

HQDC

N25 Carrigtwohill to Midleton

4.7

Preliminary Design

2015

HQDC

N6 Jct 20-22 Galway City Outer BP

9.4

Preliminary Design

2015

HQDC

N22 Cork Northern Ring Road (M8-M20)

10.4

Preliminary Design

2015

HQDC

N21 Adare Bypass

8

Preliminary Design

2015-01

M

M11 Enniscorthy Bypass

27

Preliminary Design

2015

M

M20 Limerick-Cork (Northern Section)

48

Preliminary Design

2015

M

M20 Limerick-Cork (Southern Section)

48

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP ?

N25 Midleton to Youghal

18

Constraints Study

2015

D2AP ?

N25 Dungarvan Bypass

13.2

Route Selection

2015

D2AP ?

N25 Waterford to Glenmore

11

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP

N15 Lifford to Stranorlar

17

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP

N15 Ballybofey / Stranorlar Bypass

14.9

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP

N15 Sligo to County Boundary (N Section)

20

Route Selection

2015

HQDC

N15 Sligo to County Boundary (S Section)

6

Route Selection

2015

D2AP

N17 Tuam Bypass

4.2

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP ?

N17 Tuam to Claremorris

23

Constraints Study

2015

D2AP

N17 Tobercurry BP to Knock BP Ph 1

25.7

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP

N17 Tobercurry BP (Tobercurry to Charlestown)

10.2

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP

N17 Collooney to Tobercurry

14

Preliminary Design

2015

D2AP ?

N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom

21.5

Preliminary Design

2015

HQDC ?

N4 Mullingar to Longford

50

Constraints Study

2018

M

M50 Eastern Bypass

13

Constraints Study

2018

M

M40? Orbital

74

Constraints Study

After 2015

HQDC

N81 Tallaght Bypass Extension

3

Preliminary Design

HQDC

N8 Jct 19 Dunkettle Int Upgrade

0

Preliminary Design

D2AP ?

N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour

35

Preliminary Design

HQDC

N22? Cork Northern Ring Road (M20-Ballincollig)

9.6

Constraints Study

HQDC ?

N28 Ringaskiddy to Cork (N Section)

11

Route Selection

D2AP ?

N28 Ringaskiddy to Cork (S Section)

2

Route Selection



Notes:
1 Redesignated motorway on 2008-09-24.
2 Redesignated motorway on 2009-08-28.

Redesigated schemes either opened as dual carriageway or were specified as dual during the planning and/or construction phase.





LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS


M Motorway
HQDC High Quality Dual Carriageway
D2AP/D3AP All Purpose Dual Carriageway with 2 or 3 lanes each way


Some notes on terminology and motorway designation in Ireland.




MOTORWAY COMPLETED : YEAR BY YEAR


These are calculated by summing all projects completed that year. Some projects were completed in a particular year, but were only designated motorway some time later. They are listed under the year they became motorways. 2009 and beyond are estimates based on roads in the pipeline, as well as dual carriageways very likely to be redesignated motorways in the future. The 2020 figure will almost certainly be higher.

Year Km that year Total km Notes
1983 7 7  
1985 5.5 12.5  
1990 11.8 24.3  
1991 5.5 29.8  
1992 0 29.8  
1993 14.5 44.3  
1994 23.6 67.9  
1995 0 67.9  
1996 11 78.9  
1997 12.5 91.4  
1998 13 104.4  
1999 0 104.4  
2000 0 104.4  
2001 25 129.4  
2002 0 129.4  
2003 49.3 178.7 Includes a 0.7 km downgrade  
2004 17 195.7  
2005 60.2 255.9  
2006 22.9 278.8 Includes a 1.1km downgrade  
2007 0 278.8  
2008 162 440.8 Includes 47km of redesignations  
2009 240.8 681.6 Includes 120.3km of redesignations  
Estimates:
2010 245.2 926.8  
2011 0 926.8  
2012 0 926.8  
2013 53.4 980.2  
2014 16.4 996.6  
2015 132.4 1129  
By 2020 87 1216