€140m Monasterevin bypass opens a year ahead of schedule

Transport Minister Martin Cullen has officially opened the €140m Monasterevin bypass in Co Kildare, which was completed a full year ahead of schedule.

The 17.5km dual carriageway will eliminate one of the worst bottlenecks in the country, taking an estimated 16,000 vehicles away from Monasterevin every day.

It is also expected to knock up to 30 minutes off journey times between Dublin and the south of the country, while allowing Monasterevin to develop economically without being stifled by bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The opening of the bypass means there is now a continuous stretch of dual carriageway between the Red Cow Roundabout in Dublin and Portlaoise, Co Laois.

The National Roads Authority is planning to extend this all the way to Cork in the coming years.