Will Milltown and Ballindine be bypassed?

WITH the M17 M18 Gort-Tuam motorway due to open earlier than scheduled later this year there is growing speculation that the Government will rethink suspended plans to fully up-grade the N17 between Tuam and Sligo as the route has just been classed at part of the Atlantic Economic Corridor in their Action Plan for Rural Ireland.
If revived the plan would not only see the new route finally being built between Knock Airport and Sligo but would also see Milltown bypassed and the strong likelihood of Ballindine also being bypassed to improve traffic flow.
The Milltown proposal first surfaced 15 years ago along with one to build a dual carriageway from Knock Airport to Collooney outside Sligo as part of a major upgrading of the N17, but while piecemeal work has continued on the route since then, these projects have been suspended.

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