_{Pictured at the contract signing (back L-R) Glen Jones, Tramore RDO, Seamus Kavanagh, Senior Engineer, Tim Butler, Director of Services, Frank Stafford, Senior Exe. Engineer, Cllr. Pat Dunphy, Cllr. Tomás Breathnach (front L-R) John Ryan, WS Atkins, Richard Neuling, WS Atkins, Colette Byrne, Chief Executive, Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Cllr. Melissa O'Neill, (absent) Cllr. Ger Frisby and Cllr. Eamon Aylward.}

Following a competitive tendering process the Technical Consultancy Services contract for the N24 Tower Road Junction Improvement Scheme was awarded recently to WS Atkins Ireland Ltd. The proposed scheme entails the improvement of the N24 National Primary Route between the Ink Bottle Junction and the Tower Road Junction. It is proposed to close the Ink Bottle junction and to provide a new compact grade-separated junction and associated overbridge at the Tower Road Junction. The existing Tower Road Junction will be left-in / left out only. A new link road and roundabout are proposed to the north of the N24 in order to facilitate the closure of the Ink Bottle Junction. It is proposed to provide two lanes in both directions on the N24 through the Tower Road Junction.
This Scheme has been an objective of Kilkenny County Council for many years and with the support of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, this objective, subject to the necessary statutory and funding approvals, will be realised over the next number of years. The programme for this year will be focused on planning, design, preparation of contract documents along with the acquisition of the lands required to deliver the Scheme. Thereafter, again subject to approvals, the tender process for the construction contract will be undertaken in Q1/Q2 2019. On completion of this process it is anticipated that construction works will commence on site in Q3 2019 with a construction period of 15 months to complete the Scheme.

 

19th February 2018