Congratulations to our friends down the road in New Ross who were celebrating last week following the commencement of work on the town’s bypass, one of the biggest projects of its kind ever planned in this country.
Minister Brendan Howlin officially set the ball rolling on a project that started 18 years ago but will forever change the landscape and commercial life of the area.
The new 14-kilometre motorway will stretch from the Pink Rock in South Kilkenny, across the river Barrow and join the Enniscorthy Road near Pallas. The 900-metre section over the Barrow will be the longest, single-span bridge in the world.
An artist's impression of the bridge to be constructed as part of the New Ross Bypass.
About 300 jobs will be created during the construction phase and the bypass, which is expected to create opportunities for many more permanent jobs, is scheduled for completion by 2019.