N30 - Moneytucker to New Ross

Amtmann

I'll be starting more threads like this over the next few weeks, not so much for discussion at this point in time (seen as how it's unlikely to go ahead for yonks), but rather so the Roads Forum can serve as a clearing house for information relating to as many road schemes as possible, regardless of whether or not they are likely to start soon. If there are plans for any substantial new build, we should have a basic thread on it.

For the record, this scheme was not suspended by the NRA in 2010 and remains at the planning stage.

Scheme Synopsis:

N30 Moneytucker to New Ross Project

Project Summary
Wexford County Council have developed a proposal for the N30 Moneytucker to New Ross scheme which commences in the townland of Rathgaroge at the western extents of the proposed New Ross Bypass, bypasses the village of Clonroche and finishes in the townland of Moneytucker at the tie-in to the constructed Moneytucker to Jamestown scheme.

The proposed road development comprises the construction of 13.5 km of standard single carriageway including a 2 km section of climbing lane, 4.5 km of side roads, 2 roundabouts, 15 at-grade junctions/accesses and 8 principal structures comprising 1 overbridge, 3 underbridges, 1 river bridge and 3 underpasses.

The planning report is attached.

N30 route change causes anger (15 July 2010)

THE PROPOSED route of the new N30 Moneytucker to New Ross road, which will bypass Clonroche, is completely divergent to plans that were unveiled in 2002, according to Fine Gael Cllr. Denis Kennedy.

Presenting the plans at this week’s county council meeting, Jacob’s Consulting engineer John Fleming said the existing road had poor visibility and over 100 access points, to homes and fields, which lead to reduced speeds and delays that were inappropriate to a national primary route.

He said the new 13.5km road would be built “off-line” (separate to the existing road) and would begin in Rathgarogue, bypass Clonroche and end by accessing the recently constructed Jamestown scheme.

Mr. Fleming said the new route would involve the construction of a new bridge in a special conservation area, upstream to the existing bridge, and a 20ft overbridge.

He said two roundabouts, located to the east and west of Clonroche, would allow drivers to bypass the village and would make the area “safer, quieter and cleaner”.

He said construction of the road would require four residential properties to be subject to compulsory purchase orders and said the purpose of the presentation, at Monday’s meeting, was to seek councillors’ consent to begin a six-week consultation process.

An animated Cllr. Kennedy said the NRA had unveiled a completely different route in 2002 and said locals were stunned last week to receive letters advising of the new route.

“I thought when we build new roads we try to build them as straight as we can. This route swings from left to right and is going to be built on land it was never envisaged it going through,” he said, asking why the National Roads’ Authority (NRA) had come up with a completely different route.

Mr. Fleming said the new route was selected because of safety concerns regarding the many entrances to fields and properties on the existing road.

He said the NRA wanted to build a new road off-line to reduce the number of access points and increase safety on the new road.

Echoing this point, county manager Eddie Breen said ten years had passed since the original route had been unveiled and said safety standards had risen in the intervening period. He said the existing road was undermined by access points and said the new design was good and was supported by the local authority.

“You’ve hit the nail on the head there. Ten years have passed and people have built houses off the main road. Now they found there’s going to be a 20ft bridge at their back door,” said Cllr. Kennedy, who said there had been no consultation with those affected.

Mr. Breen said the NRA and the county council was proposing to start the consultation phase and said, if councillors agreed, the plans would be put on public display for six weeks.

Cllr. Kennedy said he wanted NRA staff to be available to people in Clonroche, and the surrounding area, to explain the plans as, he said, the scale of the proposed development was unclear from the maps.

He also asked the NRA to fast-track the purchase of one of the four properties as, he said, it was owned by an elderly widow who wanted to move to Limerick to live with her daughter.

The NRA’s Don Curtin said the design plans would be available in his office in Enniscorthy, the county hall and in Clonroche community centre.

He said he had already met with the 27 affected landowners and said he was willing to meet with anyone who was affected by the new route which, he said, was a “much needed economic and roadsafety project” for the county.

Cllr. Paddy Kavanagh (FG) said the new plans came as a major shock to a lot of people as the route had moved to a different area.

He said it would require a lot of “salesmanship and explanation” for local people’s concerns to be assuaged.

Cllr. Paddy Kavanagh (FG) said he welcomed the bypass but would not be voting in favour of starting the public consultation process.

“People sunk their lifesavings into homes these are decent, hardworking, honest togod people and now they discover there’s going to be an overpass, 20ft in the air, going over their back garden.

“I want you to meet this people before we start this consultation process,” he said.

However, Cllr. Michael Sheehan (FF) said no binding decisions were being taken by the council and said members of the public could lodge submissions and observations during the consultation process.

These submissions would then be reviewed by the NRA and changes could be adopted before the plans were again presented to the council for final approval.

The proposal, to begin the consultation process, was carried by a majority of councillors.

http://www.newrossecho.ie/news/story/?trs=mhgbqlmhgb&cat=news

Amtmann

Changes made to N30 project
14 October 2010

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES have been made to the proposed route for the N30 Moneytucker to New Ross road project following consultations with local people and councillors, it was revealed this week.

While the 13.5km road still begins in Rathgarogue, bypasses Clonroche and ends by accessing the recently constructed Jamestown scheme, concessions, along the route, have been made to local landowners who strenuously objected to initial plans that were published in July.

Presenting the revised plans at this Monday’s county council meeting, Jacob’s Consulting engineer John Fleming said the changes included providing a farmer with an underpass for his cattle and the inclusion of an additional property in the compulsory purchase order scheme.

Fine Gael councillor Denis Kennedy, who had voiced serious opposition to the preliminary route when it was announced earlier this year, said the amended route represented a “reasonable compromise”.

“People are never going to get exactly what they wanted but, in fairness to the NRA, they have gone quite a way to meeting the concerns of people along the route,” he said.

In fact, Cllr. Kennedy said he had only one outstanding concern – that parts of the new route would be used for the illegal parking of caravans.

Labour councillor Robbie Ireton said some landowners remained in an invidious position and said the new route dissected one farmer’s land in three instead of two.

However, Mr. Fleming countered this by stating that a new underpass was being created in an effort to lessen the impact on that particular individual. Labour councillor Pat Cody lamented the fact that the new plans were completely divergent to the original scheme, which was unveiled in 2002.

He said people who bought property, and land, over the past eight years were “landed with a bombshell” when the revised route was published during the summer.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Sheehan reminded councillors that publication of the route marked the beginning of a long process.

“People should not feel that they are being railroaded. This is the beginning, not the end, of this process,” he said.

This sentiment was echoed by county manager Eddie Breen who said the infrastructure project was hugely important for the county for economic and road safety reasons.

Mr. Fleming said Part 8 planning would now be sought and said the next stage of the project involved the publication of the environmental impact statement (EIS) followed by the publication of the compulsory purchase orders.

http://www.enniscorthyecho.ie/news/story/?trs=mhqlqlqlau&cat=news