Tag Archives: Northern Distributor Road

THERE is no prospect of the second phase of the Northern Distributor Road going ahead, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has said. The minister emphatically ruled out the prospect of the contentious relief road going ahead on a visit to Moneypoint last Friday. “The road isn’t in the Metropolitan area strategy. It has no Government funding and no prospect of it any time in the future,” he said. Subsequently, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Tony O’Brien said that the Minister’s attitude to the proposal will have a terrible impact, not just on Clare, but on surrounding counties also. “What I’d say is that this NDR has gone through every feasibility study, every phase of planning, it is included in the Mid-West Area Strategic Plan 2012-2030, it’s an integral part of that,” Councillor O’Brien pointed out. “It was in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Strategy, it was an integral part of that, to provide an orbital route around Limerick City and to improve …

IT now looks highly likely a new distributor road to improve connectivity in South-East Clare could take at least five years to fully complete. Residents in the area have been repeatedly disappointed over ongoing delays concerning the construction of the €58 million Coonagh to Knockalisheen distributor road, which forms part of Limerick’s Northern Distributor Road. The scheme was hit with a major setback last March when the main contractor, construction giant Roadbridge, went into receivership owing substantial sums to local subcontractors and construction suppliers throughout Clare. Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has repeatedly come under fire over the delay in the completion of this distributor road. The new road will provide an urban style carriageway between Coonagh Roundabout and Knockalisheen Road. The first phase of the project, which cost in the region of €8 million, was completed in 2018 and the construction of the main contract is estimated to cost €35 million. Along with the construction of the new dual carriageway, …

THE Government appears to be abandoning the development of the Northern Distributor Road, Senator Paul Gavan has claimed. Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton appeared before the Seanad last week and while raising a number of issues regarding transport around Limerick, Senator Gavan included the Northern Distributor Road. “This is a key element of infrastructure for Limerick city. Right now we have serious traffic congestion at the Mackey roundabout. “We have serious problems across the University of Limerick campus. At its peak level of busyness, it can take up to 45 minutes to get from the back of the campus to the front gates. “We have massive traffic issues across Corbally, all of which would be relieved by the Northern Distributor Road. “Unfortunately, the senior Minister has set his face against this road being developed. It is not mentioned in the national development plan.” When replying to him, Ms Naughton spoke on a number of other …

Limerick City and County councillors’ decision to include the Northern Distributor Road corridor in the County Development Plan had been acknowledged as “a vote for the city, county and region”. This was the reaction of Limerick Chamber CEO, Dr James Ring to the overwhelming support by councillors for the project, at Monday’s monthly meeting of the council Dr Ring said it was further evidence of the spirit of collaboration that pervades in Limerick today. He said that in voting strongly in favour of the road, the local authority had clearly taken into account the concerns of residents and that these will be fully addressed in the project. “This is another significant moment in the modern success story that is Limerick.  After a torrid last decade, the past five years, in particular, have seen a real awakening in Limerick and this has largely been achieved as a result of key stakeholders working together for the greater good of the city, county …

Failure to develop Limerick’s planned Northern Distributor Road would impact negatively on future investment potential and jobs at the National Technology Park, leading multi-national employers and the IDA have said. Three of the largest FDI employers, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Cook Medical and Northern Trust, with a combined work force of over 3,300 people and the IDA have come together to state their concerns that rejection of the proposed road by councillors would be a significant regressive step for the city, county and region and send the wrong signal to inward investors. A spur from the Limerick Northern Distributor Road (LNDR) is seen as the panacea to existing capacity constraints on the main road through the National Technology Park (NTP) and UL, which has up to 40 minute delays that will deny further expansion and investment into the area. The closing date for submissions from stakeholders and the wider public on the LNDR is Monday next, Limerick City and County …

THE proposal to adopt a variation to the County Development Plan to allow a controversial €120 million distributor road in South East Clare was passed by a majority of 17 to nine this Friday afternoon in a stormy and contentious meeting. Concerned residents from Parteen and Clonlara packed the public gallery where they were joined by Deputy Willie O’Dea and Limerick City Councillor Michael Sheehan to hear the decision on the proposed Limerick Northern Distributor Route. Cathaoirleach James Breen told the packed viewing space that because of the importance of the issue, he had relaxed the numbers limit to allow them all to attend. But he also warned the crowd if there was any comments, cheering, applause of heckling, the gallery would be cleared. Councillor Cathal Crowe said he opposed the proposal before the meeting and said it was an absolute betrayal of the village of Parteen and asked if he could read out the proposal. Councillor Breen refused this and …

OPPONENTS of the adoption of a controversial €120 million distributor road into the Clare County Development Plan are becoming increasingly concerned that it could get the green light this Friday afternoon. Judging by the vociferous objections from councillors at a recent council meeting, concerned residents in Parteen were confident that it would not get the required numbers for its adoption into the Clare County Development Plan. However, councillors who are against this proposal are now fearful that some of their colleagues may change their minds, following a briefing last Thursday conducted by consultants appointed by the council who endorsed the emerging preferred route without any change. Last week, Clare county councillors decided to defer making a decision on adopting the road into the County Development Plan, following trenchant opposition from a local lobby group. Councillors were given a deadline of July 31 at the council meeting to make a decision on the proposed Northern Distributor Road. No councillor spoke in …

Clare County Councillors decided to defer making a decision on adopting a controversial road into the County Development Plan, following trenchant opposition from a lobby group. Councillors were given a deadline of July 31 at Monday’s council meeting to make a decision on the proposed Northern Distributor Road. No councillor spoke in favour of proceeding with the preferred route option. Senior planner Gordon Daly warned if councillors decided not to adopt the variation, it had the “potential to end the project for now” and noted that it may not go ahead in the future. Councillors voted by 17 votes to nine to defer a decision on this contentious route until Friday, July 24. The deferral was proposed by Councillor Pat Burke and seconded by Councillor Tom McNamara. Councillor Tony O’Brien proposed a sub-committee be set up including councillors, planners and engineers to try to devise an acceptable alternative proposal. Before the vote, chief executive officer, Tom Coughlan, reminded councillors this …