New Cork road network paves way for Eastern Gateway Bridge

According to the documents, the Monahan Road extension "will serve as the Eastern Gateway Bridge western approach". File picture.

The road network in Cork’’s south docklands could be set for a significant upgrade in the coming months, paving the way for the development of the cross-river Eastern Gateway Bridge.

Cork City Council has issued a tender document calling for a design and delivery team for the €5 million re-development of the Monahan Road.

Upgrading the busy road is a major step in the development of the Eastern Gateway Bridge, the cross-river bridge deemed an essential cog in Cork’’s future transport infrastructure by government transport plans.

The documents call for a design and delivery team to develop a plan for the road upgrade in the coming months. The entire project is estimated to take some 28 months from the awarding of the contract until the handover stage.

According to the documents, the Monahan Road extension "will serve as the Eastern Gateway Bridge western approach".

The construction of the extension is "a key element of the road network which will be constructed ahead of the development of the Eastern Gateway Bridge".

"This approach will tie in with the planned western end point of the proposed bridge, thereby providing a link between the south docklands and the strategic road network," the documents state.

The new road must include a "junction upgrade to provide access to adjoining development sites, future bridge and connections to the Marina Park".

The anticipated outline cost of the project is approximately €5 million, including fees, construction and supervision.

Developers are required to incorporate cycle, pedestrian and bus infrastructure into the new road, as per national guidelines for new roads developments, while the scheme also allows for the culverting and diversion of the stream which runs adjacent to the road to "mitigate flood risk".

Funding for the project is provided through the government’’s Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) scheme, which is designed to support local authorities to invest in infrastructure to activate proposed housing sites.

The new road will "provide access to and facilitate the development of the former Ford Distribution Yard site". This has been home to Live at the Marquee for more than a decade and was purchased by Glenveagh Properties Ltd in 2018.

A consultation to develop more than 1,100 apartments on the site was lodged with An Bord Pleanála earlier this year.