New €140 million road officially opens today, replacing one of Ireland’s most dangerous roads

The old road was previously described as "the worst" in Ireland.

A €140 million road upgrade to the N4 will officially be opened by Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Monday (18 October). The completion of the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin Scheme on the Dublin to Sligo road was listed as one of the key items to be delivered under Strategic Outcome No 2 of the Enhanced Regional Accessibility of the National Development Plan (NDP). This section of the N4 has been an accident blackspot for decades, with 31 people losing their lives on the stretch of road. One of the largest road infrastructure projects in the country, it will reduce the travel time to and from Sligo, especially for those living and working in Boyle. The new stretch of road opened to traffic in August but today, traffic is being diverted onto the N4 dual carriageway to enable works to take place on side roads and the old N4, particularly at the Castlebaldwin end. The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Paul Taylor has commended the project team involved in delivering the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin dual carriageway. "Approximately €63.9 million benefits are predicted over the 30-year appraisal period of the new 14KM Dual Carriageway," Taylor said. "In addition, safety benefits of €7.4 million are predicted over the same period, as a result of the higher standard of road. "This is a major project for our Authority and our county and is the first of the key National Road Projects listed in the National Development Plan to be delivered under Project Ireland 2040." Clip via Sligo County Council Main image via Sligo County Council