Planners are about to make a final decision on the construction of the M20 Limerick to Cork motorway.

Already, An Bord Pleanala oral hearing attracted hundreds of concerned residents who attended a two-week hearing before inspector Danny O'Connor in Charleville Park Hotel last July.

The hearing was told that An Bord Pleanala received around 400 objections in relation to the construction of the motorway and Adare bypass.

The oral hearing into Adare bypass was conducted in conjunction with the M20 hearing, which will be concluded next month. Then, builders can begin to look at bidding for the much needed work.

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"Subject to a successful outcome to the statutory procedures, and subject also to availability of funding, major construction works could get underway on the scheme early in 2012," Kieran Lehane of the National Road Design Office told the Limerick Leader newspaper.

It is anticipated that the southern half of the scheme, extending from Killeens near Cork city to Velvetstown townland north of Buttevant, will be progressed first as a single contract.

The proposed M20, which it is estimated will cost €1bn, will see the building of approximately 80km of road from Killeens near Cork to Patrickswell.

The proposed route will cross the N20 just south of Ballyhea, pass west of Charleville and continue west of the existing N20 to Croom bypass.

The majority of Croom bypass will be reutilised as part of the new road, and the new scheme will finish near the existing junction at Attyflin.

In addition to the motorway, the project will include nine grade-separated junctions, over 64km of national, regional and local roads, a number of railway, river and local road crossings, and a motorway service area.

(BMcC/GK)