The M9 Kilcullen to Carlow motorway project, which cost more than €300m to build, has been opened without Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey or a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The 28km motorway opened to traffic this afternoon 10 months ahead of schedule but the official opening will not take place until January.
There was controversy last week when it was announced the road would not be opening until January even though the National Roads Authority had said the road was ready to be opened.
A decision was made to have it opened today and the official opening will take place with the Minister and senior officials from the National Roads Authority in January.
The scheme is providing a bypass of Castledermot and is part of the M9 Major Inter-Urban Route between Dublin and Waterford.
It is the second section of the new M9 to be completed; the Carlow bypass was the first section, which opened in May 2008.
The two remaining sections to be completed are Carlow to Knocktopher and Knocktopher to Waterford.
The entire M9 is on schedule to be finished by the end of 2010.
It is expected the road will save approximately 15 minutes or more for average daily commuters on the route.
