The last bottleneck on the N11/M11 between Dublin and Gorey is being eliminated.
A new stretch of motorway between Rathnew and Arklow has opened this evening - with 20,000 motorists expected to use the road daily.
It was opened by Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe.
The 16.5 kilometre route replaces one of the most dangerous stretches of road in the country, where 33 people were killed in crashes over the past 25 years.
Its completion means motorists will now be able to drive on either a motorway or a 'high quality' dual-carriageway for a total of 90km between Donnybrook in Dublin to south of Gorey in Co Wexford.
National Roads Authority spokesperson Seán O'Neill says it should cut journey times by between 10 and 20 minutes:
Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Mr Bryan Doyle, said, “the upgrading of this section of the N11 has been the number one objective of Wicklow County Council since the opening of the Rathnew /Ashford bypass in 2004.
"A total of eight dangerous bends including the notorious Balinameedsa bends which has been the scene of many bad accidents and fatalities will soon be a distant memory for the main road users of County Wicklow," he added.
