€241m investment for N5 Westport to Turlough road project announced
A minister says a new investment in rural Ireland will bring more tourism and stag parties to the west of Ireland.
Cabinet Ministers approved a €241m investment fund for the N5 Westport to Turlough road project.
Rural Affairs Minister Michael Ring says it's the biggest investment in Mayo in the history of the State.
"We've been waiting for this for 25 years," he told reporters at the announcement.
"It's fantastic for the county, fantastic for Westport, which every single one of ye, at some stage of your lives, have been in Westport for a weekend, or a stag party, or your holidays.
"It's a beautiful place to go and don't we need a road into it?"
The development will involve the construction of 20.3km of dual carriageway from Westport to east of Castlebar, and a 2.5km single carriageway link to the N59 Westport to Mulranny national secondary road.
The scheme will also include a 2.3km upgrade of a section of the N59 at Barleyhill to Type 3 single carriageway standard, two rail bridges over the Westport to Dublin railway line, 11 overbridges, 2 underbridges, seven farm underpasses, and six roundabouts.
