The N2 Clontibret to border road project is back on track.
The N2 from Clontibret to the border is the 28km road scheme which will upgrade the section of the N2 Dublin to Derry Road to make it safer, reduce journey times, and to bypass towns and villages along the route. The project proposes a new road alignment to bypass Monaghan Town, Emyvale Village and the settlement of Corracrin.
Monaghan County Council said whether it is to be a dual carriageway "has yet to be confirmed through the design process." The N2 project was first commenced in 2008 but was suspended as the economic downturn took hold. As funding came on stream in 2018, work was re-started but, suspended again two years ago because of changes to legislation and standards. At that point, it was necessary to undertake all stages of the planning and design process again.
Local councillor Paudge Connolly welcomed the news the N2 is now going to happen, but said all the delays have been "grossly frustrating".
"It has been grossly frustrating on a number of fronts," Cllr Connolly told the Wider View programme, "Like, if you take the landowners along that corridor; their land has been sterilised. If they want to develop their land, or build a house on their land, which is not unusual, they haven't been fit to do any of that in a period of up to 15 years, and then, you have the added issue of road safety like with the opening up a gap to the north and leaving it more friendly for development.
"This is a long time coming," Councillor Connolly added, "A long time in the waiting and for road safety issues, so it has been a frustrating time."
