In preparation for the Irish government’s proposed €450million upgrade of the N5 carriageway that links Dublin to the popular tourist regions dotted along the north-west coast, lead contractor, Mayo-based civil works firm, Wills Bros of Foxford, has increased its equipment portfolio with investment in a number of Komatsu machines.
Komatsu distributor, McHale Plant Sales’ chairman, Michael McHale described it as one of the “most significant investments” in plant and equipment made in Ireland in recent times.
Equipment included in the deal are three D85PX-18 dozers, a HB365LC hybrid excavator, two wide-track, low ground pressure PC170 LGP excavators, and a double-digit mix of HM300-5 and HM400-5 ADTs, all of which will work alongside existing Komatsu units within the Wills Bros fleet.
The N5 carriageway upgrade is scheduled to take up to four years to complete, and upon completion should remove the tag of it being ‘one of the most treacherous sections of primary road in Ireland’.
“When completed, it will improve road user safety, enhance regional accessibility, and better the connectivity between Dublin and the northern and western regions of the country,” said Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Eamonn Ryan TD.
Welcomed by politicians, local tourist organisations and commercial interests, the project involves the construction of approximately 34kms of new single carriageway that will extend from the existing N5 Ballaghaderreen bypass to the townland of Scramoge in Co. Roscommon.
