Return trip from Kells to Dublin will cost €11.20
The M3 motorway project has been one of the most controversial in the history of the State due to its route through the historic Tara/Skryne valley.
It has been delayed by legal challenges and the discovery of archaeological finds on the route.
In the meantime, work has begun on extending the rail line from Dublin to Dunboyne and there are plans to extend it to Navan.
The M3 motorway will have two toll plazas charging €2.80 each, forcing anyone living north of Kells to pay €11.20 daily for a return journey to work in Dublin -- or an annual total of over €2,600. It has been estimated the operators will earn €580m in toll revenue over the 30-year contract, with the road reverting to state ownership after that.
There have been warnings that some drivers may use the old N3 route to avoid tolls, which would hit traffic levels.
- MICHAEL BRENNAN
