Seven routes under consideration for Kilkenny's Loughmacask link road

Plans for a major new transport link in Kilkenny City are progressing, with seven potential routes under consideration as part of a project aimed at tackling traffic congestion and improving connectivity.

Kilkenny County Council is seeking the views of residents, businesses and landowners on the Loughmacask Sustainable Links Project, which proposes a new connection between the R693 Freshford Road and R695 Kilmanagh Road.

The project is designed to address growing transport demands in Kilkenny City, with a particular focus on reducing congestion at key traffic hotspots including Butt's Roundabout, Granges Road and Dominic Street.

It is also hoped that the new link will provide alternative routes for motorists, ease pressure on existing roads and improve journey times for commuters and school traffic.

Seven potential route corridors are illustrated in the public consultation brochure, running through the Loughmacask area between the Kilmanagh Road and the Freshford Road.

The options are at an early stage of assessment, and no preferred route has yet been confirmed.

O'Connor Sutton Cronin & Associates have been appointed by Kilkenny County Council to develop the transport solution, which forms part of Objective R7 of the Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021–2027.

As well as tackling traffic congestion, the proposed scheme aims to support sustainable mobility through improved walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure.

The project is also intended to improve access to surrounding lands and help unlock their potential for future development.

According to the consultation brochure, the scheme will involve detailed assessments, transport modelling, environmental surveys and a route identification and selection process before a preferred option is chosen.

The council is now inviting local people to provide feedback on the different routes being considered, including which options they believe would best address transport concerns in the area.

Residents and stakeholders are also being asked to identify routes they consider unsuitable and to highlight any local constraints, opportunities or other issues that should be taken into account.

The consultation material explains that the proposed route corridors are illustrated as 25 metres wide within a wider 100-metre preliminary study corridor.

However, these measurements do not represent the actual width of the road scheme that would ultimately be constructed, with the final dimensions to be determined during a later design stage.

The local authority says community feedback will play an important role in helping to shape the project and ensuring that the eventual scheme meets the needs of Kilkenny City and the surrounding Loughmacask area.

Public consultation is scheduled to run from November 3 to December 1, with an in-person consultation event taking place on Tuesday, November 3, from 1.30pm to 7.30pm, in the upstairs meeting room of Mayfair Library in Kilkenny.

Members of the public can view the consultation details and make submissions online at consult.kilkenny.ie

Submissions can also be emailed to [email protected].

Feedback gathered during the consultation will help inform the selection of a preferred route for the proposed transport link.