THE final stretch of the new motorway to Dublin – a 56km run between Galway and Ballinasloe – will open in ten days’ time, slashing journey times between the cities to just two hours.

Meanwhile, the National Roads Authority is considering proposals for bus lanes running from the start of the motorway in Doughiska, along the existing dual carriageway into Ballybane. There are also calls for a 1,000-space Park & Ride at Carnmore with a collection depot for shoppers to collect their purchases from city retailers.

The 120km/h motorway has been praised as “the most important event in the economic history of the West” by Fianna Fáil Deputy Frank Fahey and will make it possible to travel from Doughiska to Heuston Station in two hours.

The Galway-Ballinasloe stretch will be opening a full six months ahead of schedule, as roadbuilders N6 Concession Ltd made significant progress, particularly over the last 12 months.

However, motorists got a ‘sneak preview’ of theunopened stretch during the recent flooding when the Government was forced to open one of the carriageways to a two-way traffic system temporarily. That caused a delay of just a few days to the construction project.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey will be in Galway on Friday, December 18 to ‘cut the ribbon’ on the last segment of the new M6/M4 motorway, which runs from the new roundabout at Doughiska (adjacent to the Galway Clinic) to west of Ballinasloe, as well as a bypass of that town.

Deputy Fahey – who is also the Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport told the Sentinel: “It’s been a long time coming that we’d get a motorway from Dublin to Galway. It’s great news that it has finally happened, as it will certainly improve the commercial and economic life in the West and quality of living.

“This is without a doubt the most important event in the economic history of the West … access to Dublin is of critical importance,” he said.

Motorists travelling to and from Dublin will now be faced with a €1.90 charge at a toll plaza at Cappataggle near Ballinasloe, as well as the existing €2.90 toll at Kinnegad.

Continued on page 4 of The Sentinel.