Work to begin on motorway to Tuam

Work is to begin on the Gort to Tuam motorway early in the new year, it was revealed this week.
Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey TD on Tuesday announced that the preferred tender has been selected for the M17/M18 linking Gort to Tuam.
The National Roads Authority has confirmed that the BAM Balfour Beatty Consortium is the preferred bidder and they are expected to finalise project acceptance in the coming weeks with construction to commence early in the New Year. It is expected that the project will be completed by the end of 2014.  
“This new road improvement scheme will make a very big difference to the West of Ireland and in particular those living in Claregalway, Ardrahan, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge and the other towns and villages that will be bypassed by the road scheme.
“It will significantly improve safety and reduce journey times for traffic travelling north-south along the Atlantic corridor. It will improve connectivity between Dublin and the western region and it will significantly assist in the economic development of Border, Midlands and Western regions,” said Minister Dempsey.
The new 57km stretch will form part of the Atlantic Corridor and will run from Gort to Tuam with a major junction with the N6 Galway Dublin route to the east of Galway City.
When complete, the motorway will bypass Tuam at the northern end as well as Ardrahan, Kilcolgan and Clarinbridge in the south and will act as a bypass for Claregalway.