Varadkar turns the sod on €282M Newlands Cross & N11 Arklow to Rathnew road projects

Work is officially starting on the Newlands Cross flyover and the N11 Arklow to Rathnew dual carriageway road projects after Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar turned the sod on both schemes.

Both projects will make a huge difference to motorists, with the N7 removing the last traffic light between Cork and the outskirts of Belfast, and the N11 dual carriageway removing the last bottleneck between Dublin and Rathnew and providing an important new service area.

It also means that the first Public Private Partnership road project to be signed since 2007 is now officially underway, in an important signal for economic recovery.

“These are two very important projects which will make a big difference to road users in Dublin and the east of the country. They will remove two serious bottlenecks which have caused untold delays to commuters, hauliers and road users over the years. The financing of these projects also represents a breakthrough for the Government in terms of new funding for roads,” Minister Varadkar said.

“The N7 flyover at Newlands Cross will remove the last set of traffic lights between the outskirts of Belfast and the Dunkettle roundabout in Cork. To give an idea of the difference this will make, some 80,000 vehicles pass through Newlands Cross every day. And the N11 will end the last stretch of single carriageway between Arklow and Rathnew, replacing the dangerous and winding road with high-spec dual carriageway and the added bonus of a new service and rest area.”

The contractor BAM Civil Ltd (BAM PPP & PGGM Infrastructure Cooperatie) will start work on both projects within a matter of days, and construction is expected to take just over two years.

Mayor of South Dublin County Council Cllr Cathal King said: “I think it is important for me to record here today that this project demonstrates the enormous benefits of the continuing investment in the National Road Network. For many years we were associated with the traffic issues of the Red Cow Interchange but today such issues no longer exist as a direct result of the significant investment made in the road network.”

Pat Casey, Chairman of Wicklow County Council said: “This is a very important project from a road safety perspective and a vital link in regional connectivity that will assist greatly in future economic development.”

Kathleen Codd Nolan, Chairperson of Wexford County Council said: “This project assists greatly in linking Wexford to Dublin City and onwards to the entire national motorway network. Additionally, it highlights the importance of the continued investment required to improve and upgrade roads in County Wexford.”

Fred Barry, CEO of the National Roads Authority said: “We are very pleased with the commencements of works at N7 Newlands Cross Junction and at the N11 Arklow to Rathnew. It is five years since we last started the construction of a large scale improvement scheme. The Government has committed to fund a number of road PPP schemes and we look forward to this being the first of a revitalised programme of major improvement works. I would like to acknowledge the effort put forth by all those involved and look forward to the completion of this scheme.”