The approval by the Government this week of the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road project has been welcomed by local TDs.
The project which will see the construction of 34km of a new single carriageway road costing in excess of €200 million – is tipped to increase connectivity into the county along the national road network.
Speaking after the announcement of Government approval for the project, Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon said: "This is truly a great day for the entirety of Mayo and any road users who depend on the N5. As the primary access road to our county, it has been a long road in getting to this point of project approval."
Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary said: "By-passing Frenchpark, Bellangare, Tulsk and Strokestown, the new 34km €200 million road is of huge significance to Mayo, making our county much more accessible, reducing journey times to Dublin and the East Coast and making Mayo a much more attractive option for industry."
Deputy Dillon added: "The N5 road project which now moves to construction phase will improve safety for all road users including pedestrians and cyclists, dramatically improving the safety of the N5 corridor. The new route will also benefit road users by improving overall journey times and reduce travel costs. This represents a game-changer for Mayo industries and tourism, as it addresses a key infrastructural deficit which will now move to construction - the construction phase in itself will create much-needed employment as society continues to reopen."
The project involves the construction of circa 34km of new single carriageway road that will extend from the western end of the existing N5 Ballaghaderreen Bypass to the townland of Scramoge in County Roscommon. It will bypass the towns and villages of Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown. Provision will also be made for pedestrian and cyclist facilities where the route meets access points to some of the towns along the route.
