The State's first toll motorway was officially opened by the Minister for Transport, Mr Seamus Brennan, this morning.
The new €250 million M1 motorway, which bypasses Drogheda, will operate as a public-private partnership, charging tolls of between 80 cent and €4.90.
Joining the Balbriggan by-pass at Gormanston and the Dunleer by-pass at Monasterboice, the new motorway is expected to significantly cut journey times between Drogheda and Dublin.
The toll comes into effect from tomorrow. There will be 10 tolling plazas, five in each direction, and in each case one plaza will be dedicated to facilitating Electronic Tolling Collection.
According to the Department of Transport, the full impact of the new motorway will be realised later this month when the Dublin Airport to Balbriggan sections of the M1 are opened to traffic. There will then be a continuous 70 kilometre stretch of motorway from Dublin city to south of Dundalk.
Speaking in Drogheda, Mr Brennan reaffirmed the Government's commitment to prioritising major infrastructure projects and acclerating the planning process around such initiatives.
Mr Brennan described the motorway as a valuable asset and a visionary project. "The vision is in the crowning of this road with a truly stunning feature in the dramatic Cable-Stayed Bridge" which spans the River Boyne, he added.