"No delay" to M3 despite
difficulties
By - John Donohoe.
The M3 motorway is 60 per cent complete and due to be
open on schedule in July 2010, a spokesperson for the
contractors said this week after TaraWatch raised
concerns about contractors on the site.
Recently liquidated Howley Civil Engineering was involved
in the earthworks work on two sections of the motorway,
where the contracts are divided into four different
contracts. Other subcontractors are now carrying out the
work that Howleys had been doing.
"Eurolink regrets that Howley Civil Engineering is unable
to complete the 15km section of earthworks they were
carrying out on the M3 project", the roadbuilders
say.
"The project is allocating additional resources to
complete this element of the works. At this stage, we do
not foresee any delays. Howley Civil Engineering is one
of many specialist sub-contractors carrying out works,
including earthworks and drainage, on the scheme".
Last week, a motorway bridge opened over one of the more
contentious parts of the route, at Skryne, on the road
from Ross Cross to Oberstown village, close to
Collierstown, where a campaigner had built a tree house
in protest at the removal of ancient remains from the
route.
Due to open in mid-September is the Baronstown road,
where a new bridge also crosses the motorway route. In
Dunshaughlin, the Dunsany Road bridge has opened, and
work is progressing on the flyover at Roestown.
In the Kells area, bridges have opened on the Athboy
Road, Cookstown Road and Oldcastle Road, while long
stretches of the motorway route already have been laid
with asphalt.
Last week, as a National Roads Authority (NRA)
archaeology conference took place in Dublin, TaraWatch
called for the closure of the NRA; transference of
road-building functions to the Department of Transport,
and transference of archaeology functions back to the
National Museum.
© The Meath Chronicle, 6th. September 2008.
