Compulsory Purchase Orders for 1,557 acres of land in counties Carlow and Kilkenny to make way for a new road development will be issued this week to farmers and other landowners.
The land is required for the new southern section of the €340 million Dublin-Waterford dual carriageway. The 64 km stretch will go from Powerstown, Co Carlow to Dunkitt, in Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny, which is on the periphery of Waterford city. It is expected to be completed by 2010 and will be at least 40 metres wide and will require additional land on either side.
Seven major junctions will provide access from the existing road network, the N9-N10.
The six Kilkenny junctions on to the route will be at Paulstown, Dunbell, Danesfort, Knocktopher, Mullinavat and Dunkitt (Kilmacow) and the seventh in Co Carlow will be at Powerstown.
Access from Kilkenny city will be from the new ring road extension which is expected to be constructed this year.
The new motorway will criss-cross the existing Dublin-Waterford road at a number of junctions.
This will require 87 new bridges and culverts, including a highly controversial bridge which will skirt the village of Bennettsbridge.
An Environmental Impact Statement will be published by Kilkenny Co Council.