Limerick City and County Council in consultation with Transportation Infrastructure Ireland (formerly the National Roads Authority), have commenced a public display of the preferred route corridor for the Foynes to Limerick Road Improvement Scheme.

Kieran Lehane, Director, Transportation & Travel, explained that the project will support the envisaged expansion of the Port of Foynes as outlined in the government’s National Ports Policy 2013 and its designation as a Core Port under EU regulations (Trans European Network TEN-T). The TEN-T regulations require a high quality road connection between Foynes and Limerick, improving journey time reliability and safety for all road users.

Public Consultation took place in relation to four route corridor options in March 2015. Following assessment under the headings of Economy, Safety, Environment, Accessibility & Social Inclusion and Integration the preferred route corridor is Route Corridor Option 3 (Orange). The preferred corridor runs from the N69 at Foynes towards the N21 at Rathkeale and will provide a much-needed bypass for Adare Village, before connecting to the existing M20 motorway into Limerick.  The preferred route corridor is 300m wide, within which the road alignment is likely to be developed.

Public Display sessions are being held at the South Court Hotel, Raheen Roundabout, Raheen, Limerick on Tuesday, 1st December 2015 from 2pm to 8pm and at the Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, Foynes on Wednesday, 2nd December 2015 from 2pm to 8pm.

Mr. Lehane stated that the purpose of the public display is to inform the public of the preferred route corridor and to afford the opportunity for the public to engage in the process and to raise questions, concerns and comments for consideration as part of the detailed design of the road alignment within the preferred route corridor.

Drawings and a brochure outlining the preferred route corridor are available at the public display sessions and from the Mid West National Road Design Office in Lissanalta House, Dooradoyle and project website www.foyneslimerick.ie <http://www.foyneslimerick.ie> . The closing date for receipt of comments on the preferred route corridor is Friday 15th January 2016.