Dublin Cork Motorway Opens
Kill, County Kildare, Ireland, 28 May 2010 - The last leg of the Dublin Cork Motorway, the M7/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill / Castletown PPP Motorway Scheme, was opened by An Taoiseach Mr Brian Cowen TD on Friday 28 May. The motorway was constructed by BAM in joint venture, part of the Celtic Roads Group (CRG). CRG comprises BAM, Iridium and NTR. The M7/M8 works involved the design, finance and construction of approximately 41 km of new-build motorway and its operation and maintenance commenced immediately on its opening.
The M7/ M8 Public Private Partnership project represents BAM's third success in the delivery of Ireland's PPP infrastructure. The two already completed PPP schemes are the 11 km Dundalk Western Bypass and the recently opened 23 km N25 Waterford Bypass, which includes the award winning 465 m Cable Stayed River Suir Bridge.
The M8 motorway to Cork now bypasses Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill, reducing travel times by up to 45 minutes and extends the existing M7 Portlaoise Bypass, bypassing Mountrath, and Borris-in-Ossory on the road to Limerick. It was opened four months ahead of schedule and within budget.
Officially opening the new motorway, An Taoiseach said: 'Improving road infrastructure between and within regions will contribute towards the competitiveness of the area and foster more balanced regional development. In particular, the resulting safer and improved journey times will have a very positive impact on the economy by making the Midlands, South West and Midwest more accessible and attractive for foreign inward investment.'
After the opening ceremony Theo Cullinane, CEO of BAM, commented: 'We are delighted to have delivered this significant phase of the road network, linking our two largest cities. Ireland will greatly benefit from having modern, safe infrastructure and the reduced travel times that now exist between all our major cities.'
BAM, formerly Ascon, is the largest civil engineering contractor in Ireland and is ranked second in the Top Ten of Ireland's main / general contracting companies, with an approximate turnover of €362 million. BAM, based in Kill, Co. Kildare is the wholly owned subsidiary of Royal BAM Group, a worldwide construction services company, turning over €8 billion and listed on Euronext Amsterdam.
Further information: Mike Jones, Group Business Development Director, BAM Contractors, 045 886 400.
