Work ‘extremely well advanced’ on Tralee bypass

WORK is “extremely well advanced” on providing a €137 million bypass for traffic-choked Tralee.

Kerry County Council gave the assurance yesterday amid reports the project had been shelved due to government cutbacks.

There were reports in some sections of the media that the proposed 13.5km road, which would encircle much of Tralee, had been mothballed along with other major projects around the country.

However, the council said it had no such communication from the National Roads Authority (NRA).

“At each stage of the project, we’ve been given the go-ahead and are now proceeding to the next step in the absence of hearing otherwise from the NRA,” said council spokesman Padraig Corkery.

Land had been acquired for the bypass and topographical and archaeological surveys were currently under way along the proposed route, he said.

Tenders have also been invited for the construction and expressions of interest have been received from several contractors.

Construction work will start next year, according to a letter received by the council from Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, last March.

Upwards of 70 landowners are involved along the route.

The bypass will connect with the existing Tralee/Killarney, Tralee/Listowel and Tralee/Killorglin roads.

The Tralee bypass is Kerry’s top road priority, following the Castleisland bypass, on which work is well advanced which will be open to traffic before the end of this year.

Meanwhile, there have also been reports that the proposed Kenmare bypass and improvement works to the Castleisland/Farranfore road had been mothballed due to funding cutbacks.

However, Kerry County Council also said it had not received any communication from the NRA in relation to these works.