Public display of the preferred route corridor for the Foynes to Limerick Road Improvement Scheme

Limerick City and County Council in consultation with Transportation Infrastructure Ireland (formerly the National Roads Authority), have commenced a public display of the preferred route corridor for the Foynes to Limerick Road Improvement Scheme.

Kieran Lehane, Director, Transportation and Travel, explained that the project would support the envisaged expansion of the Port of Foynes as outlined in the government’s National Ports Policy 2013 and its designation as a Core Port under EU regulations (Trans European Network TEN-T). The TEN-T regulations require a high quality road connection between Foynes and Limerick, improving journey time reliability and safety for all road users.

Public Consultation took place in relation to four route corridor options in March 2015. Following assessment under the headings of Economy, Safety, Environment, Accessibility and Social Inclusion and Integration the preferred route corridor is Route Corridor Option 3 (Orange). The preferred corridor runs from the N69 at Foynes towards the N21 at Rathkeale and will provide a much-needed bypass for Adare village, before connecting to the existing M20 motorway into Limerick. The preferred route corridor is 300m wide, within which the road alignment is likely to be developed.

A Public Display session is being held at the Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, Foynes, today Wednesday 2nd December from 2pm to 8pm. There was also a public display session at South Court Hotel, Raheen Roundabout, Limerick, yesterday Tuesday 1st December.

Mr. Lehane stated that the purpose of the public display is to inform the public of the preferred route corridor and to afford the opportunity for the public to engage in the process and to raise questions, concerns and comments for consideration as part of the detailed design of the road alignment within the preferred route corridor.

Drawings and a brochure outlining the preferred route corridor are available at the public display session and from the Mid West National Road Design Office in Lissanalta House, Dooradoyle and project website www.foyneslimerick.ie. The closing date for receipt of comments on the preferred route corridor is Friday 15th January 2016.

Meanwhile Deputy Niall Collins commented – ‘I welcome the fact that the route chosen will incorporate the very much needed Adare Bypass, however it’s now incumbent on the Council and NRA/Transport Ireland to immediately engage with the communities living in and adjacent to the chosen route corridor. This new road will have a significant impact on many communities and it’s imperative that people are involved at every stage in order to minimise the impact both in the short term and long term. People and communities must be treated with respect throughout this complex process. Commuters from across West Limerick will be pleased that there now is a firm plan to bypass Adare and that the notorious traffic tail backs and queues will soon be a thing of the past. The Government must now immediately make the necessary funding available to deliver this bypass and new road in the shortest possible timescale.”