M7 Portlaoise - Castletown M8 Portlaoise - Cullahill
Preferred Route (September 2001)
"A new dual carriageway / motorway would separate long distance traffic from other traffic, and have safety, environmental and economic benefits"   (NRA/Ove Arups/Laois Co. Co. Brochure, September 2001) This motorway pair can each accommodate 55,000 vehicles per day.  However the traffic that travels the full distance from Cork to Dublin each day is only 1700 vehicles and the traffic Dublin to Limerick is only 1450 vehicles according to Table 8.1 National Road Needs Study.  Campaign for Sensible Transport (CaST)