The opening of the new M9 Kilcullen to Carlow motorway project was a low key affair that went ahead without ribbon cutting or ministerial pontification.
It is expected that Kilkenny commuters will cut approximately 15 minutes off their journey to Dublin following the opening of the road.
The €300m project includes 28km of motorway and the much-needed route was opened to traffic on Monday afternoon 10 months ahead of schedule.
The official opening has been planned for January. The road opening had been postponed until next year, but public out-cry led the Minister to rethink the postponement and the road was opened this week.
There was controversy when it was announced the road would not be opening until January even though the National Roads Authority had said the road was ready for use.
The route is providing a bypass of Castledermot and is part of the M9 Major Inter-Urban Route between Dublin and Waterford.
It is the second section of the new M9 to be completed; the Carlow bypass was the first section, which opened in May 2008.
The two remaining sections to be completed are in Kilkenny and include the Carlow to Knocktopher and Knocktopher to Waterford sections.
The entire M9 is on schedule to be finished by the end of 2010
