It was meant to be the solution…
The M17 opened to the public on 27 September and its official unveiling came with a hint of sadness as The Saw Doctors had to re-write some of the lyrics to one of their most famous songs.
The motorway will hopefully not just end in Gort and Tuam either as Leo Varadkar promised on the same day that another new motorway will open in Ireland “in due course.”
The M17 promised to bring an end to the horrendous traffic in Clarinbridge and Claregalway but it seems as though the introduction of the motorway will just see cars becoming congested in other eastern parts of Galway city instead.
Areas in Galway east include Aughrim, Athenry, Kiltullagh and Loughrea and one Galway councillor has warned that traffic gridlock will take place as a result of incoming traffic.
Speaking to the Galway City Tribune, Cllr Michael Crowe stated that he “would be fearful that with the opening this week of the new Tuam to Gort motorway, the situation with traffic on the east side of the city will get worse over the coming weeks.”
Crowe also said that a Traffic Control Unit was needed from Monday to Saturday in order for “remedial measures to be put in place.”
The new motorway will avoid that dreaded length of road between Claregalway and Clarinbridge and instead will bring motorists on a straight journey between Tuam and Gort.
This comes after news that traffic volumes on main roads into our major towns and cities have risen by more than 10% in some areas in just one year.
The Gort-Tuam motorway cost around €550 million to build and is expected to carry less motorist than that of the M9 to Waterford and the M3 through Co Meath – both of which carry 20,000 vehicles per day.
