M21 - Limerick to Rathkeale/Foynes [Adare bypass under construction; remainder pending]

Cookiemunster · 12-03-2026 03:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124306771#Comment_124306771

The public will be discouraged from driving to the event.

There are 4 park and ride facilities to be located in Annacotty (Mackey Roundabout), Patrickswell (the racecourse) and Croagh (either side of the new junction) capable of holding 20,000 cars between them.

There will be regular shuttle buses from Colbert Station.

There will be a rail shuttle from Limerick Junction.

There will also be private buses delivering overseas travellers as part of their tour packages.

breezy1985 · 12-03-2026 04:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124307146#Comment_124307146

I would imagine private cars will essentially be actively banned from the village. I reckon anyone trying will be directed to the park & ride by the junctions.

It would be unusual to be allowed drive right up to the gate of a major sports event with a private car.

MayoSalmon · 12-03-2026 09:23PM

You won't be able to get within 5 to 10 miles of Adare the week of this event.

It will be the same set up as Portrush last summer.

Cookiemunster · 12-03-2026 10:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124307894#Comment_124307894

It won't be that drastic. They simply won't let non local or event traffic enter the village.

Ardrageen · 25-03-2026 01:32PM

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/motoring-news/2047003/new-road-confirmed-to-run-parallel-to-patrickswell-as-part-of-limerick-to-cork-motorway.html

An additional road is to be built alongside Patrickswell as part of the M20 project in order to keep traffic out of the village

Sorry. I should have put this in the Cork Limerick motorway thread.

Cookiemunster · 26-03-2026 02:51PM

This months video is up. At the end you can see that the preliminary work is happening on the missing link.

https://youtu.be/oAeSRzS_cQA?is=YSiWH6hRTUBn1K9A

confidentjosh · 30-03-2026 07:47PM

Great progress on this.

A new side road/local road has been opened and an old local road that crossed the corridor has been closed linking two local roads with one underpass now serving that area.

The large steel beam structures for the river Maigue bridge crossing have started to be delivered to the site and are being put together right beside the river crossing point. It would be nice to see a time-lapse video showing these being lifted into place as it would be a spectacular sight I'm sure.

Works ongoing at the tie in to the eastern end of the route are clearly visible now too with trucks driving up and down towards this area.

I passed by yesterday and it's clear that widening works are well under way with landscape and trees/hedge removal works ongoing as well. Also, hardcore and gravel is being laid along the northern side of the existing end to the dual carriageway.

We should see lots of significant works and structures being completed over the spring and summer months to come I'm sure.

cameltoe86 · 31-03-2026 10:53PM

Saw these on a historical page I follow on Facebook. Is there work constantly being done on this side too?

Cookiemunster · 31-03-2026 11:07PM

Archaeology was done along the whole route from Attyflin to Foynes as part of the preliminary works.

KrisW1001 · 01-04-2026 09:56AM

Yes, archaeological excavations happen at the start of every major infrastructure project.

By pure chance, I have a couple of current and former archaeologists among my friends, and they also talk about the “boom times” of 2000-2010, when the large number of road projects created an unprecedented stream of work for field archaeologists.

marno21 · 09-04-2026 09:43PM

Surprised we don't have more of a running commentary given how busy the N21 is.

The embankment works that we talked about in January between the Monearla overbridge and the M20 are complete and were indeed bypass related.

The one structure on the "gap", the bridge carrying the M21 over the L1424 that Cookiemunster pointed out was underway, is now almost upto its final height. Remarkably quick progress on it.

Work seems to be going in earnest now on the gap with a haul road visible from the Monearla bridge along the side of the N21 towards the offline section.

lordleitrim · 18-04-2026 09:55PM

The new roundabout on the city side of Adare now open as I passed yesterday. The sandstone stonework on the new walls surrounding it is very attractive looking. I drive the N21 approximately once a month and there's a real sense of visual progress each time I do now...proper momentum!! Great to see after years(decades!) of it being earmarked!

pajoguy · 10-05-2026 08:23PM

20260510_200829.jpg

Maigue River Bridge - some of the beams in place.

Cookiemunster · 10-05-2026 11:26PM

They're not actually in place. The pieces are being welded together into larger sections on either bank next to the road embankments. Which is what you can see.

When in place they'll span from the top of the embankment on the left to the top of the concrete on the right.

What you're seeing is this (photo from March)

There are now three sections there and other sections have begun to be welded on the other bank. It's a pity that there was no photo/video update in April.

confidentjosh · 12-05-2026 10:22PM

Yeah, like I said before you'd love to see the builders put out a specific video or two showing the actual assembly and putting in to place of the bridge and river crossings. It would get big numbers I'm sure. They had been putting out an update video every month up until recently but maybe they don't want to put out another one until the main bridge works are completed? Its a pity. Hopefully somebody like drownehawk will take a spin up there and give us a good update video on it all soon.

SholliePapillon17 · 13-05-2026 04:55PM

Two of the overpass bridge beams structures are up and assembled over some of the smaller roads between Adare and Croagh. I drove past them in the past week one over L1422 and one over the L8025.

Cookiemunster · 14-05-2026 04:24PM

The latest Adare Bypass newsletter is out.

Project Update

The weather conditions in Q1 have been challenging with some very wet and windy periods. The team is continuing to make good progress, and the project remains on programme. There continues to be a large number of personnel on site, averaging over 300 people, with over 480,000 hours worked. The earth works cut and fill operations are substantially complete. Drainage works have making good progress, with approximately 70% of the pipework installed. The structures continue to make significant progress.

All of the 14 underpasses and culverts have been installed and backfilled. Beams have been placed to six structures, including large beams in excess of 80t each to the Greanagh River Bridges. Three bridge decks have been poured, with 4 more to be poured in Q2. The River Maigue steel beams are being delivered to site and assembled into braced pairs. The beams will be lifted into place in Q2. Pavement works have commenced and the Croagh and Adare junctions have large sections with the pavement complete (apart from the final layer). N21 Roundabout Adare Adare Junction Side Road L1422

3 month Look Ahead.

Drainage Works to be substantially complete in Q2. Pavement works to continue with lower pavement layers to be constructed to the underneath of the finallayer, across large sections of the project.

Drainage Works to be substantially complete in Q2.

Pavement works to continue with lower pavement layers to be constructed to the underneath of the final layer, across large sections of the project.

River Maigue Structure – erect steel beams for the structure. Large 750t crawler crane to be used forlifting the steel beams into place. Back span lifts will exceed 400 tonnes.

Other structures – pour the bridge deck for 2 river bridges (Greanagh A, Greanagh B) and complete the finishes on Clonshire River bridge. All culverts to have the finishing works completed. Beams to be placed to Underbridge UB09 (L1422), Overbridge OB08 (L1423) and Overbridge OB06 (Adare Junction). Underbridges

UB07 (L8025) and UB08 (L8024) to be completed.

Abutment walls to commence for Underbridge UB10 (Adare Junction).

Other Works such as fencing, noise barrier installation, concrete surface water channel to continue.

Cookiemunster · 14-05-2026 04:26PM

The beams have been placed on the L1424 bridge on the missing link section. Not the best pic unfortunately.

lordleitrim · 14-05-2026 05:53PM

Does the 3 month look ahead make specific mention to the missing link section? I'm not au fait with the L road numbers to work out if they're part of the original 7km build or the tie in "missing link" section.

Cookiemunster · 14-05-2026 06:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124468389#Comment_124468389

No, it's not part of that contract so they wouldn't mention it.

The current preliminary works on that section are being done by different contractors and the contract to finish that section is due to be awarded imminently.

marno21 · 20-05-2026 08:25PM

Not only are the beams in place on the L1424 bridge, there's significant progress on the earthworks around it especially towards Limerick. There's quite a good view of it from the Monearla overbridge heading west

Per the gap contract, the stretch from the M20 to the bend west of the Monearla overbridge is to be available to the contractors from June 2. I'd expect to see 60km/h limits and traffic coned into narrower lanes west of the M20 from the Bank Holiday weekend on.

Good time for this work to commence coincidentally with school holidays (and a turn to the better for the weather).

Hopefully DroneHawk fancies a road trip with the weather forecast for the next week.

Cookiemunster · 23-05-2026 03:51PM

Got out to Adare earlier and got some pics.

First either side of the Monearla bridge.

Second the Maigue bridge. I hadn't realized how close you could get.

Cookiemunster · 26-05-2026 08:54AM

Finally a new video. Includes some of the 'missing link' at the end.

https://youtu.be/4_Q8kiwQgGk?is=wLw64MwbZ-FRAt5j

Pale Red · 26-05-2026 10:37AM

Those knowledgeable on road building seem to be be saying the project is ahead of schedule. Is there a good chance the road will be open by June weekend next year (or May BH or even end of March Easter).

Cookiemunster · 26-05-2026 11:20AM

The official opening date is the end of Q2 next year, so the end of June. The word is that it could be ready by the spring. Even if it is ready they may wait until the Attyflin to Adare section is finished and open everything together.

marno21 · 26-05-2026 03:46PM

The only lagging elements of the scheme are the Maigue Bridge and the L1423 overbridge just west of the Maigue bridge (10:15) in the above video.

The pace at which they have gone on the missing link has been phenomenal. If we get any bit of decent weather this summer a Spring opening is surely on the cards.

Cookiemunster · 27-05-2026 03:54PM

@annfield1978 @Limerick74 I don't suppose you guys have heard anything about the contract award on the Attyflin to Adare section?

The Attyflin to Monearla bridge is scheduled to be handed over to the contractor next Tuesday according to the tender docs.

pajoguy · 28-05-2026 12:19AM

I have heard that successful and unsuccessful tender letters are to be issued in June. Subject to no appeal the contract will be completed in advance of the Ryder Cup. If there happens to be an appeal then all bets are off.

KrisW1001 · 28-05-2026 04:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124505162#Comment_124505162

If there's an appeal, or anything that would delay delivery, then at best there might be side works, but nothing will be permitted to touch the existing N21 carriageway until after the golf weekend is over; at worst, the whole build will be postponed until afterwards. Adding live construction to an already difficult event traffic plan would create total chaos.

I hope that it goes quickly, as having the whole stretch upgraded would allow the event to pass off without inconveniencing the people who would still need to get to work/college/etc while it was on.

Cookiemunster · 28-05-2026 06:17PM

The council are planning to rip up the centre of the village for public realm improvements before the Ryder Cup. They only published the construction tender last week.

With that in mind there's no fear that this won't go to construction before the tournament. At worst the N21 would be down to the two lanes it's already got. Hardly a major issue. And seeing as widening this 2km part the N21 is programmed to be the first bit done, I can't see any construction related issues.

M21 - Limerick to Rathkeale/Foynes [Adare bypass under construction; remainder pending]

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