€97m Tralee bypass set to open mid-August

The finishing touches are being put to the €97m Tralee bypass due to open in mid-August.

The long-awaited 13.5km road is aimed at improving traffic flow in and around Kerry’s county town and should reduce journey times considerably, through the diversion of large numbers of commercial vehicles and trucks from the streets.

The bypass intersects existing routes linking Tralee to Killarney, Listowel and Killorglin. It had initially been scheduled for completion in mid-July but delays were caused by a number of factors including the uncovering of deposits of limestone and heavy rainfall last year.

No definite date has yet been set by Kerry County Council for the opening. The contractors are engaged in safety works, including the installation of barriers.

Two sections have already been opened for traffic management — a stretch at Ballinorig and a spur road connecting the Institute of Technology Tralee with the Kielduff road.

An art project must also be included as part of the Percent for Art scheme and €74,000 will be expended.

Kerry County Council and Tralee Town Council have agreed to commission a sculpture portraying the Rose of Tralee, highlighting the importance of the rose tradition and the eponymous annual festival.

The bypass is expected to be opened in time for this year’s Rose of Tralee Festival, later in August.

Separately, the preferred route for a new bypass in Listowel includes a new bridge over the River Feale, planned to exceed 100m.

The existing, landmark bridge is over 200 years old and was not designed for the weight, or volume, of traffic which has been using it for many decades.

The new road is intended to divert heavy commercial traffic from Listowel town centre, as well as allowing tourists using the Tarbert/ Killimer car ferry to bypass the town.

An environmental impact statement is to be prepared by the council as the proposed route passes through a Natura 2000 site and there are environmentally-sensitive issues around Listowel to be considered.

Meanwhile, there are concerns, that the proposed 26km-Killarney bypass which will run from Lissivigeen to Farranfore and become part of the improved Cork-Tralee N22 road, will not be constructed for many years.

The preferred route for this bypass was published in 2003 and at the time, construction work was projected to start around 2009.

However, due to cutbacks, the project has been further long-fingered. Going on today’s road-building costs, the likely budget for the bypass would be close to €200m.