AROUND €67million has been spent on the Adare Bypass to date.
That’s the number that was presented at this month’s Newcastle West Municipal District meeting, when Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin asked for a detailed update on the bypasses set for Adare, Abbeyfeale, and Newcastle West.
Cllr Galvin was informed that approximately €1.9m and €1.8m has been spent to date on the Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale Bypass schemes respectively.
The Adare Bypass is one element of the Foynes to Limerick Road project, a 35km road connecting Limerick City and the port of Foynes. The overall project is seen as vital for the strategic development and expansion of Shannon Foynes Port for West Limerick and the Mid West region in general.
The Mid West National Road Design Office told Cllr Galvin at the Council meeting that works are scheduled to begin this month between the proposed Adare and Croagh junctions of the Adare Bypass.
This comes following the announcement last month that the joint venture between John Sisk and Son and Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd had been awarded the design and construction contract.
“There has been approximately €67million spent to date on the project since it commenced in 2014. A substantial portion on that is in recent times, due to the commencement of the construction phase, land acquisition, archaeological works, bridge contracts etc,” Deirdre Clarke, projects coordinator at the Mid West National Road Design Office, told the meeting.
“While the contract duration is 30 months, with a scheduled contract end date of June 2027, there still remains a number of challenges for the project to achieve this very ambitious target.”
Councillors were also told at this month’s meeting that the local authority is continuing to progress the remaining elements of the overall project through this construction phase.
Regarding the N21 Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West schemes, Senior Executive Engineer at the Mid West National Road Design Office, Ger Carey, said they are on target to publish a further design update early this year. This update, he revealed, will show the proposed mainline, side road realignments and junction designs as well as whether the road is in cut or on fill. The progression of the schemes is subject to the continued support of public funding for the projects.
