A new 40km section of the M9 motorway from Carlow to Knocktopher was officially opened today (September 9th 2010) by Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey TD.
This new section of motorway completes the fourth inter-urban motorway by connecting Waterford to Dublin via the new M9. The completion of the Carlow to Knocktopher scheme is estimated to save approximately 30 minutes at peak journey times. Overall it is now estimated that it will take approximately 90minutes to travel from Dublin (M50) to Waterford City.
This scheme came in on budget at Eur467milion and three months ahead of schedule. Additionally, this motorway will remove unnecessary through traffic from Stoneyford, Knocktopher, Kilkenny City, Paulstown, Gowran, Dungarvan and Thomastown giving back to all these communities their respective village, town and city centres.
The opening of the M9 Carlow to Knocktopher project completes the entire M9 motorway and provides a high quality link between Dublin and the major population centres of Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford.
The road will improve the environment in the bypassed villages and towns and the rural settlements on the existing national routes N9 and N10 by reducing noise and improving air quality.
CAPTION:
Minister Noel Dempsey on the final 40km stretch of the M9 motorway.