Board of the NRA and they can reduce, increase or remove the tolls as they see appropriate. Should they lower the tolls on the M3 the government would have to make up the difference of what is owed yearly to Eurolink M3 Ltd through tax revenue. An expected minimum traffic level, growing year-on-year, was agreed as part of the contract, with "Variable Operational Payments" made in lieu of toll revenue to Eurolink M3 if this figure was not reached. These payments were made every year from opening until 2019, with traffic below predicted levels; but it is now expected that no further payments will be required due to traffic growth It is the longest single road project ever to be constructed in Ireland including nearly 100 kilometres of new or upgraded road including 49 km of new M3, 10 km of new N3, 20 km of new link roads and interchanges, and approximately 15 kilometres of local road improvements, footpaths, cycle lanes and new bridges. It was originally planned to open in 2006. An Bord Pleanála initially approved the project on 22 August 2003. Exactly 4 years later, on 22 August 2007, they directed that the excavation of the Lismullin monument did not require fresh planning approval. Junctions See also Roads in Ireland Motorways in Ireland National secondary road Regional road National Development Plan History of roads in Ireland Transport Infrastructure Ireland References External links Official M3 website NRA project page for M3 motorway Zoney Irish Roads website Website of group of people working to re-route the M3 (archived 1 March 2012) BBC News article Washington Post article Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2006 – Department of Transport 03 Roads in Fingal Roads in County Meath Roads in County Cavan Roads in County Donegal