Work is expected to begin on the upgrade of the N4 in Sligo in 2019 despite calls for it to begin a year earlier.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland have confirmed that work on the N4 between Castlebaldwin and Collooney is expected to start in 2019.
In response to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael TD for Sligo/Leitrim Tony McLoughlin the TII confirmed the expected start date.
They did, however, state that if funding were to become available the work could commence sooner than that.
The TII also confirmed that almost 18 million euro has already been allocated to Sligo County Council for the N4 improvement scheme.
This included 8.78 million between 2012 and 2015 and a further 9 million this year for land acquisition and advance works.
The N4 Castlebaldwin to Collooney bypass was included on the government’s capital programme last year.
Deputy McLoughlin says that the construction stage will be announced in 2017 at a cost of over 100 million euro.
The news comes ahead of a meeting in Dublin tomorrow morning between business leaders from eight towns along the N4 and N5 with the government.
The group, representing Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Athlone, Mullingar, Longford, Carrick on Shannon and Roscommon are trying to ensure that this work does not start later than 2018 and that progress is made on the Mullingar to Rooskey bypass, a bypass of Carrick-on-Shannon and the N5 from Longford to Ballaghadereen
They say the current state of the roads is putting the northwest and west at a major disadvantage in attracting investment and jobs to the region.
