Roads

N6 Athlone to Ballinasloe Dual Carriageway - 19.3km

The N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone scheme is a high quality dual carriageway extending from the western end of the existing Athlone relief road in the east to Tulrush, south east of Ballinasloe, in the west. It consists of 19.3km of high quality dual carriageway, 4km of realigned various single carriageway National Roads, Regional Roads and Local Roads and 12.7km of accommodation access tracks. There are 14 new bridges, a grade separated junction and an upgrading of an existing grade separated junction.

The scheme is being undertaken by Galway County Council on behalf of Roscommon County Council in accordance with agreements made under Section 85 of the Local Government Act, 2001 and approved by the National Roads Authority under Section 14(8) of the Roads Act, 1993.

SIAC Wills Joint Venture were appointed as the Design and Build Contractors for the scheme. The Contractor engaged RPS, Consulting Engineers, to carry out the detail design.

Galway County Council, under the agreement with Roscommon County Council is the client for the scheme and they engaged Jacobs, Consulting Engineers, to act as the Engineer for the Contract. The construction work on the N6 scheme commenced in 2007 and the contract is due for completion in September 2009. The estimated cost of the scheme is €185,000,000.

N5 Ballaghaderreen Bypass - 13.6km

The Ballaghaderreen Bypass involves the construction of 13.6km of new national primary route from Currinah near the Mayo border to Rathkeery near Tibohine. The western end of the scheme ties directly into the N5 Charlestown Bypass. The Compulsory Purchase Order for the scheme was published on 15th November 2007. The Oral Hearing was held in Roscommon town in April 2008. An Bord Pleanala confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order on 26th September 2008. Notices of confirmation were published and the CPO became operative on 5th November 2008. Landowner liaison is continuing and an outline programme to start of construction (2012) and an associated funding profile has been prepared and issued. In order to fully comply with the IFA Agreement, Roscommon County Council is obliged to issue the Notices to Treat to landowners listed in the Schedules to the CPO before 5th May 2009. The Council has sought approval from the NRA to issues these notices.

N5 Strategic Corridor - 34km

The issues raised by the N5 Strategic Corridor Route Selection Peer Review have been largely addressed. The Project Appraisal Documentation has been prepared in accordance with NRA guidelines and forwarded to the NRA Economics Section for comment. In addition, the Route Corridor Selection Report has been updated and forwarded to the Environmental Section for comment. It is anticipated that the Peer Review Response Report will be issued shortly. In parallel with the close-out of the Route Corridor Selection phase, the design team is also advancing the Preliminary Design of the scheme. Landownership Mapping, Preliminary Site Investigation, Traffic Surveys and Procurement of a limited number of Environmental Specialists were initiated during 2008. Milestones for 2009 include:

• Completion and formal close out the Phase 3 Peer Review Process including compliance with NRA Project Appraisal Guidelines;
• Appoint Engineering and Environmental Specialists;
• Landowner Liaison;
• Carry out Corridor Assessment; and
• Develop First Freeze Alignment and Assessment.

N61 Boyle Bypass

The N61 Boyle Bypass Phase 3 Peer Review was carried out on 4th December 2007. All issues raised by the Peer review were addressed and the Peer Review Group formally signed-off on the scheme on 30th May 2008. The preferred route corridor is being incorporated into the Roscommon County Development Plan. No funding has been provided for this scheme in 2009.

N61 Athlone to Boyle Study - 75km Map 4

The Stage 1 study report for the N61 (Athlone to Boyle) National Secondary route is complete. This report recommended that the future route strategy should comprise of the development of the Athlone to Four-Mile-House section of N61 as a new major scheme progressed in a phased manner in accordance with the NRA Project Management Guidelines with the balance of the N61 (Boyle to Four-Mile-House) developed using a combination of on-line and off-line discrete and relatively small schemes including pavement widening/overlay. A draft Stage 2 report which outlines in greater detail the broad scope of the schemes involved has also been produced.

No funding has been provided for this scheme in 2009.

N4 Hughestown Meers - 3.3km

The N4 Hughestown to Meera scheme, the Phase 7 Cost Benefit Analysis has been undertaken and formally approved by the NRA. Two outstanding land acquisition cases are being progressed by NRDO / Roscommon County Council. One of the two landowner cases has now been settled and processed for payment. An impasse has been reached in the other case and the landowner involved has not responded to a request to invoke the IFA assessment process. In order to resolve the issue, the case is being referred to the Statutory Arbitration process and may be concluded in 2009. No funding for this scheme has been provided in 2009.

N4 Carrick-on-shannon to Dromod - 18.5km Map 5

The N4 Carrick-on-Shannon to Dromod road scheme incorporates the N4 Carrick-on-Shannon bypass. Scheme consultants have been procured using the new GCCC Conditions of Engagement for Consultants and the consultancy contract was formally signed and sealed on 04th February 2009. The consultancy contract period is 27 months and includes all scheme planning stages including constraints study, route selection, preliminary design, environmental impact assessment and the preparation of all CPO documentation.

National Roads Minor Projects 2009

The allocation for minor projects in 2009 is €825,000. The locations for the works have yet to be agreed with the National Roads Authority.

Low Cost Accident Remedial Measures -National Roads 2009 Allocation €180,000

• N60 Ballydooley
• N61 Ballinderry, Four-Mile-House Junction Realignment
• N61 North of Tulsk Safety Fencing

The Total Grant Allocation for National Roads in 2009 is €3,784,910, which will fund the foregoing schemes and also ordinary maintenance, surface dressing and winter maintenance.

Non National Roads

The original roads programme 2009 provided for grant aided investment of €17,847,265 for non-national road projects throughout the county. A revised allocation was received following the Budget on the 7th April 2009. The revised allocation is €13,118,265. The works programme includes improvement, restoration, maintenance, signage, low cost accident schemes and local improvement schemes. Improvement works on strategic links under the specific improvement grant 2009 is €1,400,000 invested in 8 No. schemes - Clarary, Cuiltyboe, Ballybride Bridge, Castleplunkett/Ballintubber, Lysterfield, Killukin, Rooskey Bridge and Strabagan.

In addition to the grant allocation a further €2,691,000 was provided by Roscommon County Council from its own resources for maintenance of the local road network. The Council has also provided €800,000 from its own resources towards a footpath programme in 2009.