Six possible routes for new €40m road

SIX potential routes for a major new €40 million ring road around Limerick City have been unveiled by local authorities.
Clare County Council, in conjunction with Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council, has commenced the planning process to advance the development of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road and associated infrastructure from a location on the eastern end of the proposed Coonagh-Knockalisheen Strategic Route to a tie-in with the R445 (old N7) in County Limerick.
The scheme will comprise the design and construction of approximately10km of road, which will include a crossing of the Ardnacrusha Tailrace and the River Shannon, together with possible crossings of the Blackwater and Mulkear Rivers.
It has emerged that there will be only one crossing of the Head Race Canal at the Tail Race between Parteen village and the ESB Station in Ardnacrusha. It is understood the ESB ruled out other crossings in the area due to costs.
Four possible crossing points coinciding with roundabouts on the Dublin side of Limerick City have been identified and Councillor Michael Begley expects the most likely connection is the one furthest away from Castletroy.
The scheme includes a new dual carriageway from Knockalisheen to Coonagh and three options are being examined for the connection at Meelick to link onto a roundabout, the location of which is already decided. This roundabout will be located between the entrance of the Knockalisheen Asylum Seeker Centre and the edge of Moyross.
Details of the new potential routes were unveiled at a public information meeting in the Greenhills Hotel, Limerick last week.
Councillor Begley expects the consultants appointed by the local authorities will select one or two preferred routes. In addition to people’s comments, environmental, engineering and economic aspects will be considered before an emerging preferred route corridor is selected.
The emerging preferred route will be the subject of a further public consultation. Views expressed at that time will also be considered during the preliminary design and in the preparation of the environmental impact statement, cost benefit analysis and compulsory purchase documentation. An oral hearing will be held for the scheme if deemed appropriate by An Bord Pleanála.
All submissions should be clearly endorsed with the project’s name, Limerick Northern Distributor Road, and emailed to LNDR@clarecoco.ie or posted to Clare County Council, New Road, Ennis, before Monday, July 18.
It is expected the preliminary design process should be completed by the end of October. The Department of the Environment allocated €500,000 to progress the scheme last year and €400,000 this year.
Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald hopes the local authorities come up with a preferred option as quickly as possible because of the planning restrictions currently being imposed on landowners in South-East Clare who want to carry out proposed developments.
He recalled a few years ago that councillors attended a public information evening in Browne’s Pub, Parteen where they were shown one indicative for the route. However, this has now increased to six, which leaves residents wanting to build extensions and other developments in limbo, as land near the proposed routes are effectively being sterilised.
“Residents’ livelihoods should be taken into account. Are we going to wait another five or 10 years before funding is provided?” he asked.