A decision on the €600 million city ring road has been delayed as An Bord Pleanála has requested a bevy of further information from Galway County Council.
The 18km ring road will connect the M6 motorway near the Coolagh roundabout with Bearna, and plans include major construction projects including the digging of two tunnels and the construction of a bridge across the Corrib.
An Bord Pleanála was due to make a decision on the planning application submitted last year by May 7, but have request further information from the county council on the ecological and traffic impact of the project.
The higher planning authority questioned why the council was using of of date information about traffic levels and bird in the area.
The county council has until the end of the month to submit this information, after which it is expected that an updated deadline for a decision will be issued.
An extensive oral hearing on the project will also take place this year for public consultation.
Some 500 Compulsory Purchase Notices were issued to landowners within the imprint of the ring road last October, with 44 homes expected to be demolished to make way for the road.
It’s estimated that if it proceeds the ring road will take roughly three years and €600 million to complete.
Those in favour of the project have said that it is essential to tackling the city’s chronic traffic problem by taking cars out of the city centre.
However, those opposed argue that the money should be invested in public transport options, and the building more roads will simply lead to more cars.
