'Dream come true' for Newtown as bypass nearly ready
A Newtown councillor says she cannot wait to see a dream turn into a reality as the town's multi-million pound bypass moves closer to completion.
The Newtown Bypass has long been taking shape, courtesy of Alun Griffiths contractors, with structures and roadways now visible from both ends of the town.
The bypass work began back in 2016, after a public inquiry led to a preferred route being chosen.
The statistics behind the build are impressive, and it was rumoured it could be finished later this year.
But as the new contract date of spring 2019 moves ever closer, county councillor for Newtown, Joy Jones, says her dream is also now closer than ever.
She said: "At last the work that has been going on across Newtown looks like a bypass, it's very exciting to be able to be taken from one end to the other.
"This is going to make a big difference to the traffic flow, Newtown has waited many years and has struggled with long queues that have expanded far past the border of the town.
"There has been so much hard work to bring this project to near completion, and there is still some way to go but now it is possible to understand the route and imagine how the traffic should be able to flow."
Decades of traffic issues led to tens of millions being spent on the construction.
One topic during the construction has been how people will be still be attracted to the town, rather than just bypassing.
Councillor Jones added: "With any change there is always concerns about what impact they will have.
"There are groups working hard to look at new ideas for the town to attract people to visit, and spend some time check out what Newtown has to offer and what history we can share."
