LONGFORD COUNTY COUNCIL
COMHAIRLE CHONTAE LONGFOIRT
Minutes of Special Meeting of Longford County Council
held in the Council Chamber, Aras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford on Monday, 28thJune 2010 at 11.00a.m.
PRESIDING:Councillor Paul Connell, Mayor.
MEMBERS PRESENT:Councillors – Larry Bannon, Paddy Belton,
Gearoid O Bradaigh, Micheál Carrigy, John Duffy,
Sean O Fearghaile, Denis Glennon, Victor Kiernan,
Frank Kilbride, Luie McEntire, Peggy Nolan,
P.J Reilly, Mae Sexton and Thomas Victory.
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr. Tim Caffrey, CountyManager.
Mr. Ciaran Murphy, Acting Director of Services.
Mr. David Tubridy, Senior Engineer.
Mr. Paul Newell, NRA Liaison Engineer.
Councillor Christy Warnock, Mayor of LongfordTown.
APOLOGIES:Councillors - Mick Cahill, Mark Casey, Padraig Loughrey, Alan Mitchell, Martin Mulleady, Barney Steele
A/ MEETINGS
ADMINISTRATOR:Ms. Mary Cooney
Publication of the Preferred Route Corridor and the Route Corridor Selection Report for the N4 Mullingar to Longford (Roosky).
Mayor P. Connell welcomed the Councillors and the members of the Project Team to the meeting.
Mr. C. Murphy, Acting Director of Services, outlined that the process of selecting a Preferred Route Corridor has been ongoing for three years and that the upgrade of the N4 has been identified in National Plans including the National Spatial Strategy, Transport 21 and the National Development Plan and is of vital importance for the economic development of not just Longford Town and County, but also for the Midlands and North
Western Region. This route will link up with the Dromod Roosky Bypass and is important in terms of road safety, reduced travel time for commuters and will make Longford a more attractive place for tourism. He introduced the representatives from the National Roads Design Office as follows:-
Mr. John Ahern, Senior Engineer,Westmeath National Roads Design Office.
Mr. Ambrose Clarke, Senior Executive Engineer, Westmeath National Roads Design Office
Ms. Anne Tubridy, Executive Engineer, Westmeath National Roads Design Office
Ms. Anne Marie Corroon, Public Liaison Officer, Westmeath National Roads Design Office
Mr. Clarke addressed the meeting as follows:-
Introduction
•Purpose of the briefing is to note the publication of the Preferred Route Corridor and the Route Corridor Selection Report
•First Consultation September 2007: Constraints Study Area
•Second Consultation September 2008: Route Corridor Options
•Third Consultation May 2009: Emerging Preferred Route Corridor
•Preferred Route Corridor: June 2010
The need for the Scheme
•Scheme is identified in T21, NDP, NSS and County Development Plans
•Scheme provides for the improvement of the transport links between Sligo, Longford, Mullingar & Dublin providing an improved access to the region.
•This section of the existing N4 is approximately 52km long and is a single carriageway currently carrying Average Annual Daily Traffic volumes of approximately 14,600 vehicles per day near Mullingar, 13,000 near Edgeworthstown, 10,000 to 15,800 near Longford and 8,000 near Roosky. Average journey speeds from Mullingar to Roosky are approximately 70kph, but the average journey speed required to ensure the minimum acceptable level of service on the national route, is 80kph.
•There are also numerous minor junctions and private accesses along the existing route, where slow moving vehicles join the N4. Through traffic also has a negative impact on local communities including Newtownforbes, Longford, Edgeworthstown, Rathowen and Ballinalack.
•For 2035 the forecast traffic flows are approximately 22,200 near Mullingar, 20,000 near Edgeworthstown,19,300 to 23,800 near Longford and 12,200 vehicles per day near Roosky.
•11,600 vehicles per day is the upper limit for a single carriageway designed to current standards, to provide the necessary level of service for road users
•Consequently, a dual carriageway (two lanes in either direction) is proposed, in order to cater for existing and future traffic flows. The scheme will increase road safety.
Summary of the Process
•Many different route corridor options have been considered during the course of the process.
•Six viable Route Corridor Options were identified as part of the Route Corridor Selection Process:
•Option 1: Red Route – as shown at exhibitions in September 2008
•Option 2: Orange Route – as shown at exhibitions in September 2008
•Option 3: Green Route – as shown at exhibitions in September 2008
•Option 4: Pink Route – Most northerly route bypassing LongfordTown
•Option 5: Purple Route – Most southerly route bypassing LongfordTown
•Option 6: Blue Route – as identified from the appraisals
•None of the Options performs best in every aspect but the appraisals indicated that Option 6 is the best performing option in overall terms, in relation to Environmental Impacts and Engineering Aspects and has a strong Economic performance
•Option 6 was announced as the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor in May 2009 and Public Consultations were held in Longford, Edgeworthstown & Mullingar.
•Approximately 400 submissions were received as part of the 3rd Public Consultation process.
•12 modifications were suggested as part of the 3rd Public Consultation process which were outside of the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor.
•Other suggested modifications are within the 300m wide Preferred Route Corridor and will be investigated as part of the future preliminary design phase.
•The identification of the Preferred Route Corridor (PRC) is based on all the environmental, engineering and economic appraisals undertaken and the feedback on the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor from stakeholders including members of the public, public representatives, statutory and non-statutory bodies.
Modification of the ERPC
•The 12 modifications which were suggested as part of the 3rd Public Consultation which were outside of the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor related to 7 distinct areas.
•Modification 1 at Carrickmoyragh – to move the EPRC to the south.
•Modification 2 at R194 Ballinalee Road – to reposition the junction to the east of the existing regional road.
•Modification 3, 4 & 5 near Windtown (east of Rathowen) – to move the route to the south of Kilsallagh Bog and Newpass Demesne.
•Modification 6, 7 & 8 near Rathowen – 2 to the north and 1 to the south of theEPRC.
•Modification 9 at Bunbrosna – to the north of EPRC.
•Modification 10 at Ballynafid – to the south of EPRC.
•Modification 11 & 12 at Portnashangan – both to the south of EPRC
•All 12 suggested modifications were investigated following the 3rd PC to determine whether they would offer a suitable alternative to the EPRC.
•The main environmental and engineering aspects were considered as part of this process.
•Of the 12 suggestions investigated, 1 suggested modification related to moving the proposed R194 Ballinalee Road junction. This suggested modification will require further assessment as part of the Preliminary Design phase.
•On balance 9 suggested modifications did not offer increased benefits to outweigh the increased impacts when compared to the EPRC.
•2 suggested modifications were found to have particular advantages in reducing impacts on residential properties.
•These 2 suggested modifications are:
•Modification 1, Carrickmoyragh (CountyLongford)
•Modification 12, Portnashangan (CountyWestmeath)
Modification 1 – Carrickmoyragh, Co. Longford
•This would move the new N4 further away from residential properties near Carrickmoyragh/Ballagh Bridge thereby significantly reducing potential significant adverse impacts of noise, air quality and potential demolition.
•3 residential properties would face increased noise, air quality and visual impacts.
•There would be increased adverse landscape impacts.
•The modification offers a satisfactory engineering solution.
•This suggested modification has significant environmental benefits over the EPRC and is now included in the Preferred Route Corridor
Modification 12 Portnashangan, Co. Westmeath
•This would move the new N4 further away from 5 residential properties alongside the existing N4 at Portnashangan thereby significantly reducing potential significant adverse impacts of noise, air quality and visual impacts.
•There will be increased landscape and visual impacts from Lough Owel and to 1 residential property.
•The modification offers a satisfactory engineering solution.
•On balance it has been concluded that the benefits afforded by the suggested modification outweigh any disadvantages.
•This suggested modification has significant advantages over the EPRC and is now included in the Preferred Route Corridor.
Preferred Route Corridor
•The Preferred Route Corridor comprises sections of the following:
–Online Widening (i.e. widening the existing road): where feasible
–Running offline close to the existing road: where feasible as an alternative
–Bypasses/Offline Sections: where necessary
•Online Widening:can help to minimise various environmental impacts but is not feasible everywhere because it can cause;
–excessive impacts on homes, businesses and farm buildings adjacent to the N4
–major severance impact on communities along the N4
–a very wide footprint: numerous existing accesses and could no longer allow direct access onto the improved road, so parallel access roads would be required on both sides in many places
–Minimises impacts on agriculture
•Running offline close to the existing N4: can help toreduce some of the impacts on built property adjacent to the existing N4 and has benefit of allowing existing N4 to remain open during construction and afterwards to serve local traffic
•Bypasses/Offline Sections: to avoid impacts on built properties and disruption to centres of the larger communities along the N4. Can also help to avoid other local constraints or environmental features.
Required to minimise impacts on designated sites as far as possible.
•5 Proposed Junction Locations:
•Existing N4 at Carrickmoyragh
•R194 Ballinalee Road, north of LongfordTown
•Existing N4 east of LongfordTown
•N55 South of Edgeworthstown
•Existing N4 at Portnashangan
•The exact location and type of junctions will be determined as part of the Preliminary Design Process.
•No direct access onto the new road
•Continuity of local access
Conclusions
•The Emerging Preferred Route Corridor (Option 6) containing the modifications at Carrickmoyragh and Portnashangan has been selected as the Preferred Route Corridor (PRC)
•All route corridor options have been appraised in terms of Environmental Impacts, Engineering Aspects and Economic Performance
•On balance the PRC performs best in overall terms across the appraisals
•The PRC has strong economic performance and represents good value for money
•Detailed plans of the PRC with aerial photography background and the Route Corridor Selection Report will be available to view or purchase at the offices of Longford County Council and the Westmeath NRDO from 7th July 2010
What Happens Next
•The Preferred Route Corridor and Route Corridor Selection Report will be put on display at the offices of Longford CC and Westmeath NRDO from 7th July 2010 to 6th August 2010.
•Information will also be available for viewing on the NRDO web site and on the Longford County Council web site
•The National Roads Authority have indicated that due to funding restrictions the further design of the scheme is suspended.
•There will be planning restrictions within the Preferred Route Corridor.
•Those intending to undertake a development within the corridor of the Preferred Route in particular where an application for planning approval is required are advised to consult the Westmeath National Roads Design Office or Longford County Council.
Mr. Clarke replied to queries raised by the members on the following issues:-
- Access to LongfordTown from the Dublin direction of the proposed new corridor and from the R.194 Ballinalee Road.
- Finalisation of the location of a Junction on the R.194 Ballinalee Road, Point G and potential impact on residential property.
- Crossover on the R.198 Drumlish Road
- Crossover on the N55 and access to Edgeworthstown at Point K.
- Junction to link the existing N4 with the new motorway.
- Reasons for joining with the existing N4 at Windtown and reconsideration of the alignment of the motorway at Windtown,to take a more southerly and straighter route from Point L to K, away from residential properties.
- Traffic considerations and access to the N5 Bypass.
- Number of railway crossings from Mullingar to Longford.
- Suspension of the Scheme due to financial restraints.
- Urgency of the Project given future traffic projections.
- The ongoing Planning restrictions on properties in the Route Corridor.
It was proposed by Councillor P.Nolan and seconded by Councillor F.Kilbride that the Council write to both the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Transport to seek funding for the Project and to request them to meet a deputation from both Longford County Council and Longford Town Council.
It was also requested that a letter be sent to the Longford Oireachtas Members to seek a meeting with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Transport.
It was requested that a costing on the Project to date so far, as well as a projected estimate of costs for the next Phase, be available at the next meeting.
Mr. T.Caffrey, County Manager acknowledged the work by the Regional Design Office and highlighted the importance of getting the Project to the current stage. He outlined that the Project will benefit Leitrim, Sligo and all of the North West and its connection with the N5 will also benefit the West. He also highlighted the importance of continuing the Project to the next stage.
Mayor P.Connell concluded by thanking the members of the Project team for their informative presentation and acknowledged that the Preferred Route Corridor will provide clear and easy access to Longford and Edgeworthstown, enabling both towns to develop and grow.
This concluded the business of the meeting.
Signed: ______
Mary Cooney,
A/ Meetings Administrator.
Confirmed and adopted at Monthly Meeting of LongfordCounty Council held on the 21st July 2010.
Signed: ______
Mayor.
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