The first in a series of Design Updates has been published, with new drawings now available to view. Tipperary County Council is working in partnership with Limerick City & County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport to bring the project to life.
The Preferred Option Corridor has been refined to a 100m wide corridor within which the design for the road component is currently being progressed. This refined 100m wide corridor lies predominantly within the 300m wide corridor that was published for the Preferred Transport Solution in May 2022. However, following detailed consideration of landowner engagement, stakeholder feedback, environmental surveys, and design development, the corridor diverges at a number of locations. In addition, provisional junction locations have been identified and are shown as shaded areas on the design update drawings. The junction layouts are currently being developed within these areas. Potential active travel routes and demand management measures have also been identified and are shown on the design update drawings.
The project will have a positive impact on the attractiveness of public transport. The improved road corridor will provide greater journey time savings and cater for an enhanced more reliable bus service between the cities of Limerick and Waterford. The transport solution will provide improved connectivity to Limerick Junction Railway Station and enable the provision of potential park and ride facilities transforming it into a mobility hub where all modes of transport can interchange.
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New and improved active travel infrastructure is a key component of this project and direct active travel links between Limerick Junction and Tipperary Town will further encourage modal shift, the use of sustainable forms of transport and inter-modal connectivity.
Within Tipperary Town, new streets incorporating active travel infrastructure are proposed. These streets will help divert traffic away from Main Street. This, in combination with a series of demand management measures, such as signalisation of key junctions and the provision of signalised pedestrian crossings will encourage modal shift and assist in creating a more attractive environment for people living and working in the centre of Tipperary Town.
The design update is an important step forward in the design development process as the project team continue to engage closely with landowners and various stakeholders.
Mr Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive, Tipperary County Council, said: "The upgrading of the N24 is a priority for Tipperary County Council and we welcome the first Design Update of the Preferred Transport Solution for the N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction Project. This infrastructure will improve connectivity between the towns and cities across the Southern Region and we acknowledge the significant economic and social benefits that derive from such investments. It will not only relieve the traffic bottleneck from within Tipperary Town but will also provide significant safety improvements along the full length of this section of the N24 corridor within the counties of Tipperary and Limerick."
Dr Pat Daly, Chief Executive, Limerick City and County Council, added: "The publication of Design Update No. 1 for the N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction Project today is a welcome advancement as the Project Team progress the design of the Preferred Transport Solution. Intensive consultation with landowners and stakeholders is vital to ensure that the potential impacts on landowners are minimised as much as possible. Along with removing heavy commercial vehicles and cars from the town centres and villages along this section of the N24 corridor, the inclusion of extensive active travel infrastructure along the existing N24 corridor will have a profound positive impact on the villages and communities along the existing N24 corridor. Limerick City & County Council looks forward to working with Tipperary County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to advance the project through the next phases."
