Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase 2

Details of a project on the N7 national primary road.

Description:

Western section of the N7 Limerick southern ring road, from junction with N20 around to N18.

Status:

Under construction (commenced Autumn 2006).

Project details:

This is a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) project, and the finished route will be tolled.

2003 capital cost estimates ^[1] are, excluding costs of tolling, E352 million including VAT. The capital costs of tolling are estimated at E19.6 million.

The project will constitute 9.75 km of dual two lane carriageway on the mainline, and 2.3 km of dual single lane carriageway on a link road.

Four grade separated interchanges, immersed twin bore tube tunnel under the River Shannon, 11 bridges.

More details:

Photos of the work on the R526 (see map page also).

A detailed map showing the planned Southern Ring Road Phase 2 route, along with national and regional roads in Limerick, is provided on a separate page for space/formatting reasons (large image).

Route description:

The first grade separated interchange will be in Rosbrien at the end of the existing N7 Southern Ring Road (SRR) Phase 1, where it meets the N20. The current arrangement is an at grade roundabout where the two dual carriageways meet; with a link road north to the N20/R509 Childers Road. The upgraded junction will allow traffic to proceed in all directions except from the N20 northbound to the Childers Road, and N7 westbound to the Childers Road.

The route will proceed west from this interchange, crossing the Greenfields Road and the Foynes and Mungret railway lines on a bridge (Greenfields Road and Rail Underbridge), with no realignment of existing routes. From here the SRR route will pass south of Ballinacurra. Where the R526 St. Nessan's Road currently crosses the Ballinacurra Creek, it will be realigned along an overbridge to cross the SRR phase 2, as well as the river and the railway line (currently a level crossing). The SRR will itself cross the Ballinacurra Creek west of this, continuing to the N69 Dock Road. Here a grade separated interchange will be built across the N69 next to the existing roundabout junction (N69, R510 and Cement Factory access) and wastewater treatment access junction. The new interchange will have a roundabout either side of the mainline (the south roundabout presumably being similar to the current one).

North of this, the Southern Ring Road will proceed through Bunlicky Lake, and into a twin bore tunnel. On the northern bank of the Shannon, the SRR passes west of the townland of Coonagh West. A restricte grade separated interchange will be provided along this section, with a dual single carriageway link to the Clonmacken Roundabout, along the current N18. This will allow only two movements, SRR north onto the link, and from the link onto the SRR leading south. A toll plaza will be located on the Clonmacken link. The main toll plaza for the SRR will be located north of this interchange. The SRR will terminate along the N18 with a freeflow restricted interchange. Traffic from the city on the N18 cannot turn onto the SRR southbound, and traffic on the SRR northbound cannot access the N18 into the city - these movements are provided by the Clonmacken Interchange.

The existing N18 has two "switchbacks"; breaks in the median for junctions serving local businesses. As part of the SRR project, these will be replaced with at-grade roundabouts.

Footnotes:

^[1] Explanatory statement accompanying the draft toll scheme for Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II [PDF], NRA, published Feb 2004, NRA website, accessed 27 Oct 2006.

References:

Environmental Impact Statement,Volume 1,Non-Technical Summary [PDF - 134 kB], Mid West National Road Design Office website, accessed 27 Oct 2006.

Resources:

Map of SRR Phase 2 route, Mid West National Road Design Office website, accessed 27 Oct 2006.

Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II website, Mid West National Road Design Office, accessed 27 Oct 2006.

Limerick Southern Ring Road Phase II website, RPS Group, accessed 27 Oct 2006.