Motorists face years of road works as part of plans to upgrade a busy Dublin commuter route.
A second phase of public consultation is to get underway tomorrow on proposals for the stretch of road between the M50/M11 merge at Loughlinstown and Coyne's Cross in Wicklow.
Since the Glen of the Downs was widened the number of cars has risen from 25,000 a day in 1999 to 53,000 last year according to the Irish Times. That swells to 78,000 when the traffic hits the M11 at the Dublin border.
As part of the plans a third lane has been proposed, running for 10 kilometres from the M50 merge to south of Kilmacanogue in Wicklow.
It would also see a redesign of junctions and the closure of a number of access roads.
Councillors in Wicklow have also asked the planners to look into the addition of an express bus lane.
Meanwhile work is to begin on a service road, running parallel to the southbound lane of the N11 at Kilmacanagoue in the coming weeks.
