New Limerick motorway to bypass Adare traffic bottleneck

A new motorway through west Limerick will bypass Adare, one of the country’s worst traffic bottlenecks.

However, with planning and land acquistitions, work on the €300m project, which will connect the port of Foynes to Limerick, will not commence for another five years and it will take more than three years to complete.

The 33km route was one of four options identified by Limerick City and County Council and the preferred €300m wide corridor was selected by a project design team after public consultations.

From Foynes, the route will run by the N21 near Rathkeale with a spur to Askeaton. After bypassing Adare, it will connect near the N20 at Attyflin.

Traffic is now a major problem in the heritage village of Adare and tourism interests have been pressing for work on a bypass to commence as a priority.

As the plans were unveiled at the South Court Hotel in Limerick, some of the many landowners and residents present were visibly upset that farms and properties would be dissected by the proposed road. Others were relieved at the plans.

Senior engineer with Limerick City and County Council, Tim Fitzgerald, said that a route within the corridor will now be designed and discussions will commence with affected landowners. Planning will involve An Bord Pleanála and an oral hearing.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “We are looking at about 2024 before we can open the road. It has huge benefits for Foynes port and the entire of west Limerick.”

During the consultation process, more than 1,000 submissions were received from the public.

Bridget Chawke lives on a farm owned by her family for three generations at Milltown, near Askeaton.

Ms Chawke said: “The proposed route goes though a corner of the farm, and crosses the river Deel. My reaction is one of disappointment, but somebody was going to be disappointed no matter which route they picked.

“It [route] does not slice through the land, but goes at the verge of it. We have a beautiful amenity of the River Deel at the bottom of the land. Now you will have a road there. I use the river walk. This is an amenity. You are living in the heart of the country and you are no longer living in the heart of the country.”

One man who was relieved at the chosen route was Eddie Scanlan, 55, who farms about 140 acres near Clarina.

He feared that the new road would cut right through the middle of his land.

He said: “One of the four routes would have gone through some of the best land I have and if I lost some of the land, I wouldn’t have a hope of getting adjoining land ever again. The route that they have chosen is going by Adare and not near me in Clarina.”

Cllr Sean Lynch said the bypass of Adare would be welcomed.

He said: “The chosen option bypasses Adare and this can be nothing but all good.”

Cllr Kevin Sheahan said any of the routes would have caused issues for somebody.

“So there are a certain amount of people who will be inconvenienced, some are farmers, some are householders, some are business people,” he said.

“My wish is that these people will be treated with respect and in a sensitive manner. The new road creates huge opportunities for the port of Foynes.”