Road Design / Construction / Improvement / Maintenance

• Callan Traffic Management Plan - Green Street Improvement Scheme - Phase One completed Q2 2009 and Phases 2 & 3 completed 2010. Scheme officially opened on the 27th of September 2010.

• Newpark Drive Improvement Scheme - Phase 1, Land acquisition by agreement finalised in early Q2 and accommodation works completed Q2. Phase 2 carriageway resurfacing and footpath completed in Q3.

• Kilkenny Central Access Scheme - Decision from on An Bord Pleanala received on the 7th of July 2009. Substantial Further Information sought with respect to Phase One of the Scheme. Revised EIS and CPO to be submitted to An Bord Pleanala in Q1 2011.

• N10 Ring Road Improvement Scheme - Detailed Design completed. Works for Phase 1, which included the provision of footpaths and cycle tracks between the Bohernatounish Road Roundabout and the Dublin Road Roundabout and carriageway widening to allow 2 lane entry and exit from three roundabouts completed in late Q2 2010. Interim pavement remedial works completed in Q2 2010 between the Waterford Road Roundabout and the Dublin Road Roundabout. Full pavement reconstruction to be undertaken in 2011 subject to NRA funding allocations.

• R700 Thomastown Relief Road. Land Acquisition by agreement for Phase 1 completed 2009. Site Investigation Works for Phase 1 and 2 completed in 2009. Detail Design and Contract Documents for Phase 1 completed in Q1 2010. Detail Design and Contract Documents for the Dangan Pedestrian Bridge - Advance Contract completed in 2009. Works commenced Q3 2009 and the scheme was officially opened on the 26th of February 2010.

• Eastern Environs Improvement Scheme - Phase 1 - Golf-links Road and New Orchard Road Improvement Scheme - Detailed Design, Contract Documents and Land acquisition completed 2009. Works commenced Q3 2009 and the scheme was officially opened on the 11th of June 2010.

• Northern Ring Road Extension and Nore River Crossing - (N77 Castlecomer Road to R693 Freshford Road). Site Investigations substantially completed in 2009. Topographical survey completed 2009. Full installation of electronic water level gauges and flow meter equipment to undertake River Nore hydrology modelling completed Q2 2010. Hydrology Report expected to be completed early Q2 2011.

• Regional Road Sign Posting Contract - Signage strategy, detail design and contract documents prepared for a substantial number of Regional Routes within the County in 2010. A number of routes had signage up-grades in 2009 and 2010 and it is expected the balance of Regional Routes will be up-graded by the end of 2011.

• Stoneyford, Knocktopher and Ballyhale Village Improvement Schemes -In conjunction with the opening on the M9 Motorway, substantial improvement works were completed in Q4 2010. The works included footpath reconstruction, pavement resurfacing, traffic calming and drainage improvements.

• N9/N10 Phase 2 Waterford to Knocktopher was completed during 2010 by BAM Civil Engineering as Main Contractor. The Official Opening of the Scheme took place on 22nd March 2010.

• N9/N10 Phase 4 Knocktopher to Powerstown. SRB Limited (a joint venture of Roadbridge and Sisk) was completed in 2010. The Official Opening of the Scheme took place on Thursday 9th September 2010.

• N24 Moincoin Bypass. Although a Preferred Route has been chosen it is unlikely that the Scheme will proceed in the near future.

• N25 Waterford to Glenmore. Tramore House Regional Design Office continued design work on the Scheme. The Preferred Route was put on Public Display on 7th December 2010. Preliminary design will continue throughout 2011.

• Mobility Management Plan - The Stage 2 Bid for funding was submitted to the Dept. of Transport in April 2010 . The competition results are yet to be announced. Kilkenny Local Authorities have continued with the implementation of the Plan using local funding. Projects completed in 2010 included pavement improvements in Kieran St., James St., James Green and Greenshill in Kilkenny City. The network of cycle lanes leading from the Kilkenny Ring Road to the City Centre were completed as was additional bicycle parking, bus set-down areas and the adoption of a 30kph Special Speed Limit in the Core City Centre.

 

Improvement Schemes

Old Golf Links Road, New Orchard Road and Lovers' Lane Improvement Scheme

The upgrading of the Old Golf Links Road and the New Orchard Road between the N77 Ring Road and the Johnswell Road, including improvement works to Lovers' Lane was completed in the summer of 2010.

In excess of 2km of carriageway was widened and reconstructed which has greatly improved the horizontal and vertical alignment of the road. This scheme has also provided for sustainable modes of travel including walking, cycling and public transport. In this regard, footpaths, cycle-tracks and bus bays have been provided along the route. Although pedestrians could previously use existing footpaths to walk along some of the route, the intermittent nature and poor quality of the same was not conducive to walking, particularly as pedestrians had to cross the road on a number of occasions to access the available footpaths and this was particular so for people living along the New Orchard Road.

Cognisant of the significant residential development which has occurred on the lands abutting Old Golf Links Road and New Orchard Road, our target was to deliver a grade A urban streetscape to cater for the needs of the residents and other road-users. The scheme was funded by Kilkenny County Council from planning development contributions collected from developments in this locality.

New Orchard Road - Before

New Orchard Road - After

 

 

Green Street Enhancement Scheme

The Callan Bypass which opened in 1997 removed the vast majority of through traffic from the town centre. However, problems still existed within the town core, due to the narrow streetscape and sub-standard junctions which resulted in haphazard parking and poor traffic circulation in Green Street. In addition the pedestrian facilities with regard to footpath provision were of a poor standard with no dedicated crossing facilities. In general the street was the worst for wear and in need of a major facelift.

In early 2009 works commenced on the Green Street Enhancement Scheme. The works includes for the widening and reconstruction of footpaths to a very high specification, dedicated pedestrian crossing facilities and delineated parking and bus stop provision. The scheme also allowed for the special enhancement of the existing sensitive features within the street, for example the Brother Edmund Rice Monument, the area to the front of the Parish Church and the preservation and display of a newly discovered 19th centaury stone lined well which provided drinking water to the people of Green Street up to the 1920's. The end product has much improved the attractiveness of the streetscape and provided greater accessibility for all road-users. The scheme was funded by Kilkenny County Council from planning development contributions collected from developments in this locality.

Before Green Street Enhancement Scheme

After Green Street Enhancement Scheme

 

 

N10 & N77 Kilkenny Ring Road

The N77 Kilkenny Ring Road Extension involved the construction of 4.2 km of wide single carriageway, from the existing N10 Dublin Road Roundabout to a new roundabout on the N77 Castlecomer Road.  It also included for the construction of three additional roundabouts along the route at the Hebron Rd, Johnswell Rd and New Orchard Rd intersections. The scheme also provided for a footpath and a two-way Cycletrack along the urban side of the scheme. To facilitate this project three bridges, and one underpass had to be constructed and 1.2km of the Dublin to Kilkenny Railway line had to be realigned. Construction of this section of road commenced in June 2005 and it was opened in December 2007.

During the period 2008 to 2010 major improvement works were undertaken on the N10 section of Ring Road. This work included the widening of the existing carriageway cross-section to allow for the future installation of four lanes of traffic. The Dublin Rd, Bennettsbridge Rd and Bohernatounish Rd Roundabouts where altered to allow two lane entry and exit along the mainline, to maximise the capacity of same. On the city side of the Ring Road from the Dublin Rd Roundabout to the Bohernatounish Rd Roundabout a footpath and two-way Cycletrack was constructed, thus providing a continuous link to the Castlecomer Rd Roundabout.

Both schemes required significant investment by Central Government and Kilkenny County Council.

N10 Ring Road - Bennettsbridge Road Roundabout

N77 Ring Road - Castlecomer Rd Roundabout