Work to start on €12 million road project for north Kilkenny

A €12 million construction project that will improve road safety and transport links in north Kilkenny is set to get underway in the coming weeks.

Phase Two of the N77 Ballyragget to Durrow road improvements have been given the thumbs up and work is due to start on Tuesday, February 6.

The project is described as “very important to create a safe environment for motorists using the Ballynaslee Road.”

When finished a bend in the road just north of the Tirlán (formally Glanbia) processing plant at Ballyragget will have been ‘straightened out’ and the section of roadway upgraded to match road improvements made under Phase One of the works, several years ago.

During construction the Ballyragget Village to Ballynaslee Road Improvement Scheme will see  the realignment of a 2.44km section of the existing N77, consisting of 1740m of online realignment and 700m of offline realignment works to remove a bend immediately to the north of the Tirlán processing plant.

The project will provide route consistency, from about 250m south of the Tirlan plant at Ballyragget and extending northwards to tie in to the N77 Ballynaslee Realignment Scheme which was completed in 2015.

The works will also include associated drainage, fencing, safety barriers, kerb-line, signage  and all site development and landscaping works.

Welcoming the work commencement news, which was shared with councillors at the recent meeting of Castlecomer Municipal District representatives, Councillor Pat Fitzpatrick described the road as a very important piece of infrastructure for north Kilkenny.

“This is a very important continuation of a very important project in north Kilkenny, to create a safe environment for motorists using the Ballynaslee Road,” he said.

The work “goes beyond just enhancing the road and is a commitment to the safety of road users whether commuting or sightseeing,” Cllr Fitzpatrick said.

He went on to say that the projects shows a comprehensive approach to community development and that the  roads in north Kilkenny are being designed with the highest safety standards in mind.

The design and planning of the scheme have been progressed to this stage by Kilkenny County Council in collaboration with the Tramore House Regional Design Office & Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The appointed contractor for the scheme is Fox Building & Engineering Ltd who are a Tyrone based contracting company.

The completion of this project will realise an improvement scheme objective identified in the Kilkenny City & County Development Plan 2021-2027.

Kilkenny County Council has confirmed that the costs in respect of the progression of the scheme to date and the actual construction cost are 100% grant funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The total cost of the scheme is projected to be €12 million.