€280m Cork-Kerry Road Scheme To Begin Construction

A long-awaited road scheme between counties Cork and Kerry is set to begin construction later this year.

The government has approved funding for the €280 million Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Development.

This will see a 22 km road improvement delivered from the Cork side of Macroom at Coolcour, bypassing the town of Macroom, the villages of Baile Mhic Íre and Baile Bhuirne, the infamous 'Ballyvourney Bends', and finishing west of Baile Bhuirne itself before the County bounds with Kerry.

It will greatly improve road safety, enhance connectivity between Cork and Kerry, reduce journey times, and improve the public transport corridor in the region. The road will remove huge amounts of through traffic from Macroom town.

The project will take between three and four years to complete.


Welcoming the scheme, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Christopher O'Sullivan said: "This very significant development for Cork and Kerry marks the largest single investment by government in this region to date. The benefits of this scheme for the people of Macroom, Baile Bhuirne and the surrounding areas are huge. The development of this road will greatly reduce journey time in the region, will improve access to rural areas, and greatly improve the quality of life for people living in and around Macroom by removing the current bottleneck congestion. By taking traffic out of the town centre, the development will lead to a significant improvement in air quality and give the town the space it needs to revive and thrive. This marks a new beginning for the people of Macroom."

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey added: "This is a hugely important infrastructural development for the entire region. The construction phase will bring an economic boost to the area and in the long run the social and economic benefits will be very significant indeed. Engineers have been carrying out preparatory works, ground investigations and archaeological excavations and the route is primed for construction once the contract is awarded. The work that has been done over the past number of years in preparation for this by Cork County Council staff has been incredible. I am extremely grateful for their persistence and tenacity in bringing this project to construction stage. They are a credit to the Council."

(CM/MH)