Roche welcomes funding for N11 works

Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche has warmly welcomed the allocation of €9.5 million for the upgrading of the N11 between Arklow and Rathnew.

“This is the first cash allocation towards construction work on the Arklow to Rathnew section of the N11. The National Roads Authority has confirmed to me that a Private Public Partnership contract will be awarded later this year for this work. That contract which will be one of the biggest contracts to be awarded this year will involve building two sections of the national road network. It is expected to attract keen competition

The authority has also confirmed that it expects that actual construction on this section of the road will commence early in 2011.

This is excellent news for Arklow and for County Wicklow. It means that completion of the upgrade of the N11 in Wicklow will be one of a very small number of major road projects that will go to contract and be cleared to go to construction this year.

The allocation of €9.5 million will cover the start up of contract works, final costs for the project will not be available until after the contract is awarded.