Latteragh road project ready to go

‘Two-year’ timeframe for long-awaited scheme

The long-awaited realignment of the Nenagh to Thurles road at Latteragh is ready to proceed following the selection of a civil works contractor.

Focusing on a 4.3km stretch of the R498, the realignment seeks to address decades of safety concerns in a project that now has a stated cost of €30 million, double the figure estimated by the Department of Transport in 2019.

Advance works commenced on the section last year, including fencing and site clearance, along with archaeological investigations.

Deputy Michael Lowry last week announced that the main works project is ready to proceed and that the Department of Transport has given the contractor two years in which to complete it.

“After a tendering process, a preferred contractor has been notified of their tender acceptance,” Deputy Lowry stated.

“The department has approved the provision of €20 million to fund the civil works contractor. The contractor has a two-year programme to complete the project.

“A further €4 million had already been approved to fund the design fee, the consultants and landowner compensation.”

COMPULSORY PURCHASE

Deputy Lowry said the works would impact on 13 landowners on the route. “All the required land is now in the possession of the council and all the affected landowners have received offers of compensation,” he said.

“A number have accepted the offer and already been paid. The majority are still in negotiations with respective valuers.”

An Coimisiún Pleanála (at the time An Bord Pleanála) confirmed Tipperary Co Council’s compulsory purchase of lands for the scheme in 2021 following an oral hearing into the matter at the end of the previous year.

The council had sought to acquire lands from 39 landowners in the area. Two objections were received.

The council submitted that there have been many collisions along the Latteragh stretch of road over the years, including fatal and serious collisions, as well as many anecdotal reports of minor/material damage collisions.

‘CLEAR AND PRESSING NEED’

Following her assessment of the case, Planning Inspector Sarah Lynch concluded that there was "a clear and pressing need” for the Latteragh road realignment scheme.

The road realignment is to proceed through the townlands of Currabaha, Glenmore Lower, Gurteen, Garrane, Bigpark, Sallypark, Curragh, Carrick (Maunsell), and Carrick (Dawson).

A shared footway/cycle track is proposed along the length of the scheme, utilising sections of the old road alignment and within the proposed verge along one side of the road.

The existing three junctions are to be improved as part of the scheme, with the provision of a right/left staggered ghost island junction at each junction. There are also two single-span bridge crossings over the Nenagh River with reinforced soil construction proposed for the wing-walls.

“I’m delighted with this project because the Latteragh road is a vital piece of infrastructure, which will be dramatically improved after this investment,” said Deputy Lowry.