Introduction

Clare County Council, in partnership with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), is developing the planninga and design for the N19 Shannon Airport Access Road Improvement Scheme.

The Scheme will provide high-quality road improvements on the N19 National Primary Road between Drumgeely Roundabout and Knockbeagh Point Roundabout, on approach to Shannon International Airport. 

Clare County Council appointed Fehily Timoney & Company and Clandillon Civil Consulting Joint Venture (FTC JV) in October 2019, as the Technical Consultants to progress the Scheme through Phases 1 to 4 of the TII Project Management Guidelines.

Progress Update

Phase Two (Options Selection) of the N19 Shannon Airport Access Road Improvement Scheme is currently ongoing. Phase Two consists of a three-stage process as follows:

• Stage 1 – Preliminary Options Assessment
• Stage 2 – Project Appraisal Matrix
• Stage 3 – Selection of a Preferred Option

The Stage 1 Preliminary Options Assessment has been completed. Work continues to progress in relation to finalising the Stage 2 (Project Appraisal Matrix) for the scheme which involves the assessment of options taken forward from Stage 1. These options are being evaluated in a multi criteria analysis considering impacts of the options in terms of Economy, Safety, Environment, Accessibility and Social Inclusion, Integration, and Physical Activity.

The Project Team have recently engaged in a number of consultation meetings with: -

• Shannon Airport
• Shannon Commercial Properties
• National Transport Authority
• TII’s Intelligent Transport Systems Department
• Future Mobility Campus Ireland
• Clare County Council’s Fire & Building Control Department
• An Garda Síochána
• TII’s Structures Department

The outcomes of these consultation meetings will contribute to the Stage 2 (Project Appraisal Matrix) and Stage 3 (Selection of a Preferred Option) process.

 

Next Steps

It is anticipated that the Stage 2 (Project Appraisal Matrix) and Stage 3 (Selection of a Preferred Option) will be completed in Q3 2021. Following identification of a Preferred Option a Public Consultation is anticipated to take place in Q3 2021 at which stage the Preferred Option will be displayed.

It is also anticipated that the Ground Investigation site works will commence in Q3 2021.