Major Roads Projects Active List Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) September 2020 Foreword Photo of Michael Nolan I am pleased to introduce TII’s Major Roads Projects Active List, the authoritative guide to the major roads projects’ falling under this capital investment programme over the coming years. TII performs an essential role in the delivery of transport infrastructure in Ireland, of which the national primary and secondary road networks have a significant function. The upgrade, maintenance and development of Ireland’s road network is a critical enabler of economic growth, as well as enabling the realisation of some of the National Strategic Outcomes and Strategic Investment Priorities of the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework. It has been said that roads represent the first “social network”. They are fundamental building blocks for economic growth, access to services and social cohesion and support the transition to a low carbon future. The NPF recognises the need to rebalance opportunity by enhancing regional accessibility and strengthening rural economies and communities. Another determinant in seeking to upgrade sections of the unimproved roads network is to reduce the risk and number of collisions, injuries and deaths on our road infrastructure. Ireland has witnessed the upgrade of significant parts of the road network; however, unimproved sections are experiencing substantial numbers of people being seriously injured or killed, with increasing numbers of head-on collisions on our single carriageway national primary roads. I welcome the development of this first edition of the Active List. This list includes a one-page summary for each project setting out its national significance. A project is nationally significant where the investment will have a real impact on national output by: 1. Addressing a problem that imposes economic, social, and environmental costs; or Michael Nolan 2. Providing an opportunity to realise economic, social, or environmental benefits; or 3. Both addressing any of these problems and providing one or many of a range of opportunities. The Active List is maintained and developed by TII and will explain the national significance of each element of the national roads CEO investment programme and why the project is worth progressing through the development stages. Transport Infrastructure Ireland 2 Contents Sections 01 Introduction 4 ► Policy Background 5 ► Introduction to the Active List 6 ► Project Lifecycle and Public Spending Code 7 02 Assessment of Projects 9 ► Investment Priorities 10 ► How are Projects Assessed? 11 03 Major Road Projects List 14 04 Project Details 19 ► Early Planning 20 ► Planning and Design 43 ► Progressing to Construction 53 ► Construction 58 3 Introduction 4 National Planning Framework: Policy Background National Strategic Outcomes and Priorities of the National Development Plan 1 2 3 4 The National Planning Framework (NPF) is the Government’s high-level Strengthened Rural strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of Ireland and Enhanced Regional Compact Growth Economies and Sustainable Mobility forms part of Project Ireland 2040. Project Ireland 2040 seeks to achieve ten Accessibility National Strategic Outcomes: Communities 1. Compact Growth 10 5 2. Enhanced Regional Accessibility Access to Quality Childcare, A Strong Economy supported Education and National Strategic Outcomes by Enterprise, Innovation 3. Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities Health Services and Skills 4. Sustainable Mobility 5. A Strong Economy supported by Enterprise, Innovation and Skills 9 8 7 6 Sustainable Management of Transition to a Low Enhanced Amenity High-Quality International 6. High-Quality International Connectivity Water, Waste and other Carbon and Climate and Heritage Connectivity Environmental Resilient Society 7. Enhanced Amenity and Heritage Resources 8. Transition to a Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Society Strategic Investment Priorities 9. Sustainable Management of Water, Waste and other Environmental 1 Housing and Sustainable Urban Resources Development National Road Network 2 10. Access to Quality Childcare, Education and Health Services 3 Rural Development Environmentally Sustainable The National Development Plan 2018-2027 (NDP) sets out the investment Public Transport 4 Enterprise, Skills and priorities that will underpin the implementation of the National Planning 5 Innovation Capacity Framework. Ireland’s National Road Network is highlighted as a Strategic Airports and Ports 6 Investment Priority in the NDP, and investment in the network will undoubtedly support the delivery of a number of the National Strategic 7 Culture, Heritage and Sport Outcomes. Climate Action 8 9 Water Infrastructure Education, Health and 10 Childcare 5 Introduction to the Active List Under the Roads Act 1993, the NRA – now TII – was given the responsibility to secure the provision of a safe and efficient national road network. Under this remit, TII operates, maintains The purpose of the Active List is to demonstrate the and improves the national primary and secondary road network in Ireland. TII’s purpose is to provide sustainable transport infrastructure and services, delivering a better quality of life, national significance of Ireland’s road network. This supporting economic growth and respecting the environment. document highlights the local problems that the Active The Government (through the National Planning Framework) sets the overall framework for capital investment in Ireland, including the identification of specific National roads projects List projects seek to address and outlines the regional (Active List) to be progressed during the period of the plan. TII is charged with delivering on Government policy. and national benefits that can be realised through The Active List provides a credible portfolio of nationally significant road projects that support their delivery. sustainable economic growth in Ireland, and enable the National Strategic Outcomes and Priorities of the National Development Plan. The Active List projects offer many benefits to the lives and safety of the population of Ireland and underpins a range of Government policies. They help: • Save lives and reduce road collisions through the provision of a safer road network; • Enable mobility, including the movement of freight and public transport throughout Ireland; • Facilitate regional development, tourism and economic investment; • Remove traffic congestion from towns and villages throughout the country; • Improve environmental conditions; and • Reduce the cost of travel to business and individuals. This document provides evidence-based advice to support an informed national conversation about Ireland’s road network. The list provides transparency to the public, providing relevant and strategically important information on individual projects and their respective statuses. 6 Project Lifecycle and Public Spending Code TII must ensure that all individual projects and investment proposals relating to the National Decision gates Road Network meet all of the relevant appraisal processes and value-for-money tests required under the Public Spending Code (PSC), before Exchequer resources are ultimately invested. Government approval is required at: The Public Spending Code identifies a Project Lifecycle that includes a series of steps and activities which are necessary in order to take proposals from concept to completion and • Decision gate 0: Strategic Assessment – to develop proposal evaluation. These are highlighted to the right in greater detail and are mapped against the TII’s internal appraisal lifecycle. • Decision gate 1: Preliminary Business Case There are six project phases or steps that are required by the Public Spending Code to bring a • Decision gate 2: Final Business Case 1 – to proceed to tender proposed project from concept to completion and evaluation. The project lifecycle is not • Decision gate 3: Final Business Case 2 – to award the contract necessarily linear and projects can move sequentially or loop back as different circumstances change. It is the responsibility of TII to inform Government should adverse developments occur, including unforeseen changes to costs or scope throughout the lifecycle of the project. TII’s internal Project Management Guidelines and project appraisal phases are highlighted overleaf and mapped against those of the Public Spending Code. TII has extensive experience evaluating, planning and managing public investment in alignment with the Public Spending Code. This document identifies what stage each project is at, as of the date of this document. 7 Project Lifecycle and Public Spending Code Lifecycle phases and decision gates Strategic PSC Stage Preliminary Business Case Final Business Case Implementation Review Ex-Post Evaluation Assessment Tender documents PSC Deliverables Detailed Project Strategic Preliminary Brief/ Final Business Monitoring Project Ex-Post evaluation Assessment Business Case (to Procurement Case Reports Completion Report Report Report be published) Strategy TII Project 6 - Construction 0 - Scope and Pre- 1 - Concept and 2 - Options 3 - Design and 4 - Statutory 5 - Enabling and Management and 7 - Close out and Review appraisal Feasibility Selection Evaluation Processes Procurement Guidelines Phase Implementation 1 – 2 Years 2 – 3 Years 2 – 5 Years * 3 – 5 Years Indicative Timeframe Overall 8 – 15 Years Decision Decision Decision Decision Reflection of findings Gate 0 – Intervention Gate 1 – Gate