MOTORISTS will have to pay €8.60 in tolls for a round trip between Galway and Dublin in three years' time.
The journey time between the cities will, however, be greatly reduced when the motorway between east and west is completed.
A €604m contract to build 57.6km of motorway between Galway and Ballinasloe was signed by the Government yesterday.
Motorists driving between Dublin and Galway, a distance of 432km, will face two tolls, one at Kilcock/Kinnegad and a second on the new motorway.
The new toll is expected to be €1.70 for cars, compared to the current €2.60 at Kilcock.
However, the National Roads Authority (NRA) say the new route will mean safer and shorter journeys on world-class motorways.
The second biggest roads contract in the history of the State will lead to a full motorway between the
capital and Galway in 2010.
The road will be built by ICON consortium, which comprises FCC Construction and Itinere Infraestructuras, both major companies in Spain, and Irish company PJ Hegarty & Sons.
The second biggest roads contract in the history of the State will lead to a full motorway between the capital and Galway in 2010.
Announcing the contract yesterday, Transport Minister Martin Cullen said the project was a key link in the upgrade of the national road network. It would significantly benefit the western region.
The scheme requires the construction of 57.6km of new roadway to motorway standard, a 7km link road to the Loughrea bypass, 32km of side roads and four grade-separated junctions (junctions with bridges or tunnels that keep roads at different heights and ensure free flow of traffic).
The scheme will extend from Doughiska, east of Galway city, to the existing N6 east of Ballinasloe.
The route will run from the outskirts of Galway to Athenry, then cross the Galway/Dublin rail line, Graigabbey River and Athenry/Limerick rail line. The route then continues southeast to Carrowkeel junction from where the Loughrea link road proceeds south to the Loughrea Bypass.
From Carrowkeel junction, the route continues northeast, goes north of Aughrim village, then east again over the River Suck to at Tulrush, east of Ballinasloe, where a link road connects to the N6 at Beagh, Co Roscommon.
NRA chairman Peter Malone said the road would facilitate significant economic growth in tourism and general industry.
Treacy Hogan
Irish Independent
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