CORK County Council has today signed contracts with two Irish firms, Jon Civil Engineering and John Cradock for the construction of the long-awaited Baile Bhuirne to Macroom road development.
This means work will begin before the end of the year.
With a total budget of €280m, it is expected to take between three to four years to complete.
The 22km of new road starting on the Cork side of Macroom at Coolcower, will bypass the town of Macroom, the villages of Baile Mhic Íre and Baile Bhuirne, the infamous ‘Ballyvourney Bends’, and will finish west of Baile Bhuirne before the county bounds with Kerry.
The development is expected to bring a significant economic boost to the area during the construction phase and in the longer term reduce journey time in the region, improve access to rural areas and greatly enhance quality of life Cork County Council chief executive Tim Lucey said that preparatory works by engineers including ground investigations and archaeological excavations have been carried out and the route is primed for construction.
