CONTRACT is expected to be awarded by the end of this year for the €10million upgrade of the Seamus Quirke Road to a four-lane carriageway, city councillors were told this week.

That could mean work on the project — which has already suffered a series of lengthy setbacks — could begin early next year.

Director of Services for Transportation and Infrastructure Ciarán Hayes told a meeting of the local authority that the tender process for selecting a contractor for the works has not yet been completed, although one is expected to be appointed by the end of the year.

“The tender process is not complete. We are finalising the selection tendering process and will be looking at a number of contractors. We hope to have the tendering and procurement process complete by the end of the year and are advancing it with our own consultants,” Mr Hayes said.

The major roads project — which was given the final goahead by An Bórd Pleanála in 2002 — involves the widening of the road to dual carriageway status along a .....