Go Back
Client
National Roads Authority Kilkenny County Council
Project Value
€205 million
Services Provided
Cost Management
About the project
The scheme comprised 40km of 2-lane dual carriageway, 4 grade separated junctions, 40 bridge structures and over 40 culverts including 14 box culverts. The route commences at the interface with the N8 Cashel Bypass scheme in County Tipperary and ends at the interface with the M7/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme at Cullahill in County Laois.
Spanning the counties of Kilkenny, North Tipperary and South Tipperary, this scheme was the longest new motorway to be built in Ireland and formed a major part of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to improve the inter-urban road network between Dublin and Cork.
The new road bypasses the villages of Johnstown, Urlingford, Turnpike, Twomileborris, Littleton, Horse-and-Jockey and Moycarkey, removing an estimated 13,000 vehicles daily from these villages.
The route traverses fairly flat, mainly agricultural land with poor drainage characteristics, peat bogs at several locations and underlying limestone rock. Mitigation for badgers, otters, crayfish, bats and sand martins was required. Principle quantities comprised 4,461,000m³ excavation, 1,300,000m³ rock excavation and 1,008,000m² of road surfacing.
The road was opened to traffic seven months ahead of programme and the scheme was awarded the ACEI President’s Award for Excellence in the Civil Engineering Category.
Services provided tender assessment and recommendation, budget recommendation and full construction phase cost management under the terms of the NEC ECC Option C Target contract.