The N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin dual carriageway is set to be officially opened by the Taoiseach later today.
The €80m construction project is one of the largest of it’s kind in the country.
Today’s official opening is being managed in accordance with Covid guidelines and attendance at today’s event is limited.
The construction contract was awarded to Roadbridge Ltd to carry out the project along approximately 14.7km of the N4 National Primary Route.
31 people have lost their lives on the stretch of the N4 Sligo to Dublin road.
Bernard Mulhern is a member of the N4 Action Group – he says today is a poignant day for their families who have lost family members on the old stretch of road on the N4.
Sligo Leitrim TD Marc Mac Sharry has praised the extraordinary work of the N4 Action Group and Sligo County Council in successfully delivering the new 15km stretch of dual carriageway Mac Sharry said, “in the first instance our thoughts are with the more than 30 families who have lost loved ones on this stretch of road through the years. It has taken far too long to bring this project to fruition and there can be no doubt that an earlier upgrade would have saved lives”
The Sligo-based TD went on to praise what he described as the incredible and most determined work of the N4 Action Group Chaired by Andrew Hannon, PRO. Bernard Mulhern, Secretary Sean Canavan and their more than 20 strong committee. Their relentless work and lobbying in highlighted the treacherous nature of this stretch of Road, brought national focus on the number of fatalities and urgent need for a dual carriageway.
Deputy MacSharry praised the leadership shown by the Sligo County Council team that worked on the project led by Tom Kilfeather and Emer Concannon and with the earlier input of Katrina Mc Daniel and Anthony Skeffington and the wider county council team has been critical in delivering this world class infrastructure to the North West together with the exemplary professionalism of Road Bridge as Contractor”.
