Today’s announcement that funding is being made available to upgrade the Dunkettle Interchange has been welcomed by Cork East Fine Gael TD, David Stanton. This project is included in the Government’s six year Capital Plan which will see €6 billion being invested in our road infrastructure.
“The upgrading of Dunkettle Interchange is of great strategic importance for the East Cork and Cork city area and I was pleased to see that the project, which was designed by the NRA in 2012 and approved by An Bord Pleanala in 2013, will now receive necessary funding to be progressed. The revised layout will reduce bottlenecks by allowing free flowing traffic north-south, in addition to the current east-west freeflow and removing some local traffic from the interchange altogether”, said Deputy Stanton
“I raised the urgent need for the Dunkettle project to receive funding with Minister for Transport, Paschal Donohoe, in Dail Eireann earlier this year in March. At the time, the Minister was unable to give a firm commitment that the project would proceed due to the estimated cost of €90 million. I am glad that a commitment has now been given as any improvements to the Dunkettle Interchange will improve transport connections in the area and support economic growth.
“The Dunkettle Interchange, at the mouth of the Jack Lynch Tunnel linking the M8 with the N40 and N25, caters for large volumes of traffic with approximately 76,000 vehicle movements per day. This level of traffic leads to heavy congestion at the interchange especially at rush hours which in turn can cause significant increases in travel times for commercial and other traffic. Longer journey times for private and commercial traffic entail costs to commuters, businesses and the state
“In addition to the Dunkettle Interchange, funding is also being made available, subject to planning, for a number of other important projects in Cork, the Mallow Relief Road and N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Road. All these improvements are integral to the continued economic development of Cork area”, concluded Deputy Stanton.
