Armagh East Link Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report
1064968/0000/R/009 Version 1.2
Prepared by: WSP (formerly Mouchel) Shorefield House 30 Kinnegar Drive Holywood County Down Northern Ireland BT18 9JQ
T 028 9042 4117 F 028 9042 7039 W www.wsp.com
Prepared for:
Liam McEvoy Strategic Roads Improvement Team Department for Infrastructure (DFI) formerly Transport NI Southern Division Marlborough House Central Way Craigavon BT64 1AD
Armagh East Link Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report
Document Control Sheet
Project Title Armagh East Link
Report Title Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report
Report ref no. 1064968-0000-R-009
Version 1.2
Status Issue
Report Date 15 August 2019
Record of Issue
Version Status Author Date Checked by Date Approved by Date
0.1 Draft L. Emerson 01/08/2017 C. Bell 17/08/2017 J. Bradley 17/08/2017
0.2 Draft L. Emerson 11/09/2018 C. Bell 02/10/2018 C. Bell 02/10/2018
1.0 Issue C. Bell 05/07/2019 J. Bradley 05/07/2019 J. Bradley 05/07/2019
1.1 Issue C. Bell 02/08/2019 J. Bradley 02/08/2019 J. Bradley 02/08/2019
1.2 Issue C. Bell 15/08/2019 J. Bradley 15/08/2019 J. Bradley 15/08/2019
Distribution
Date Organisation Contact Format Copies
Aug 2017 DFI (TNI) Southern Division (Client) Liam McEvoy (Project Sponsor) Digital 1 (v0.1)
Oct 2018 DFI Roads Southern Division (Client) Liam McEvoy (Project Sponsor) Hard Copy 2 (v0.2)
Jul 2019 DFI Roads Southern Division (Client) Liam McEvoy (Project Sponsor) Digital 1 (v1.0)
Aug 2019 DFI Roads Southern Division (Client) Liam McEvoy (Project Sponsor) Digital 1 (v1.1) 1 (v1.2)
i Armagh East Link Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report
Limitations
This report is presented to DFI in respect of Armagh East Link and may not be used or relied on by any other person. It may not be used by DFI in relation to any other matters not covered specifically by the agreed scope of this Report.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the report, WSP is obliged to exercise reasonable skill, care and diligence in the performance of the services required by DFI and WSP shall not be liable except to the extent that it has failed to exercise reasonable skill, care and diligence, and this report shall be read and construed accordingly.
This report has been prepared by WSP. No individual is personally liable in connection with the preparation of this report. By receiving this report and acting on it, the client or any other person accepts that no individual is personally liable whether in contract, tort, for breach of statutory duty or otherwise.
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Contents
Executive Summary...... 1
Background to the Scheme ...... 1
Report Summary ...... 3
Recommendations ...... 4
1. Introduction ...... 5
1.1. Method of Assessment ...... 5
2. Existing Conditions ...... 6
2.1. Description of the Current Highway Network ...... 6
2.2. Existing Public Transport Provision ...... 10
2.3. Existing Traffic Conditions ...... 11
2.4. Existing Geotechnical Conditions ...... 12
2.5. Existing Hydrological Conditions ...... 15
2.6. Existing Environmental Conditions ...... 17
2.7. Existing Land Use ...... 17
2.8. Changes in the existing condition from Stage 1 Assessment ...... 17
3. Description of Scheme Options ...... 18
3.1. “Do-Minimum” Option...... 18
3.2. Cross Section ...... 18
3.3. 2007 Option Description ...... 18
3.4. Option 12 ...... 18
3.5. Option 16 ...... 19
3.6. Cost Estimates...... 19
4. Engineering Assessment ...... 22
4.1. Engineering Standards including preliminary Departures from Standard ...... 22
4.2. Climate and Land Use ...... 27
4.3. Geology, Geomorphology and Ground Conditions ...... 27
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4.4. Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Drainage ...... 32
4.5. Public Utilities ...... 40
4.6. Existing and Proposed Structures ...... 43
4.7. Summary of Engineering Assessment ...... 44
5. Environmental Assessment ...... 45
5.1. General ...... 45
5.2. Potential Impacts and Effects ...... 45
5.3. Scoping Process ...... 46
5.4. Methodology ...... 57
5.5. Air Quality ...... 58
5.6. Cultural Heritage ...... 75
5.7. Landscape and Visual Effects ...... 87
5.8. Ecology and Nature Conservation ...... 106
5.9. Geology and Soils ...... 114
5.10. Materials ...... 121
5.11. Noise and Vibration ...... 127
5.12. People and Communities ...... 138
5.13. Road Drainage and the Water Environment ...... 160
5.14. Assessment of Cumulative Effects ...... 201
5.15. Consultations ...... 207
5.16. Summary of Environmental Assessment ...... 208
6. Traffic and Economic Assessment...... 210
6.1. Modelling ...... 210
6.2. Forecasting ...... 215
6.3. Effects of Scheme Options ...... 216
6.4. Peak Hour Traffic Flows ...... 217
6.5. Journey Times ...... 217
6.6. Economic Performance of Options...... 220
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6.7. Summary of Traffic and Economic Assessment ...... 223
7. Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 224
7.1. Engineering Assessment ...... 224
7.2. Environmental Assessment...... 224
7.3. Traffic and Economics Assessment ...... 224
7.4. Recommendations ...... 224
Executive Summary Figures ...... 1
Appendix A – Drawings ...... 2
Appendix B – WebTAG Appraisal Summary Tables ...... 3
Appendix C – ChandlerKBS Options Assessment Cost Report (August 2019) ...... 4
Appendix D – Summary of Environmental Assessment Process ...... 5
Appendix E – Regulatory and Policy Framework ...... 6
Appendix F – Air Quality Monitoring and Background Concentrations ...... 7
Appendix G – Gazetteer of Heritage Assets ...... 8
Appendix H – Preliminary Ecological Appraisal ...... 9
Appendix I – Environmental Comparison of Options ...... 10
Appendix J – Central Growth Assumption Results ...... 11
Appendix K – Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Flows ...... 12
List of Figures
Figure 2-1 - Armagh Location Plan ...... 6 Figure 2-2 - Photograph of the existing A28 Markethill Road at Ardmore Road Junction (looking northwest towards Armagh City) ...... 7 Figure 2-3 - Photograph of the existing A28 Markethill Road at Edenaveys Industrial Estate Junction (looking northwest towards Armagh City) ...... 7 Figure 2-4 - Photograph of the existing A51 Hamiltonsbawn Road at Hamiltonsbawn Road Industrial Estate Junction (looking west towards Armagh City) ...... 8 Figure 2-5 - Photograph of the existing A51 Hamiltonsbawn Road approximately 150m east of the junction with Hamiltonsbawn Road Industrial Estate (looking west towards Armagh City) ...... 8
v Armagh East Link Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report
Figure 2-6 - Photograph of the existing A3 Portadown Road towards the junction with Linseys Hill (looking west towards Armagh City) ...... 9 Figure 2-7 - Photograph of the existing roundabout linking the A3 Portadown Road with the housing estates at Killuney Road and Drumman Heights (looking west towards Armagh City) ...... 10 Figure 2-8 - Photograph of the existing mini roundabout linking the A3 Portadown Road with the A51 Hamiltonsbawn Road (looking west towards Armagh City) ...... 10 Figure 2-9 - Translink Local Bus Routes for Armagh City ...... 11 Figure 5-1- View from Ballynahonemore Road demonstrating the rolling and enclosed agricultural landscape surrounding Armagh City ...... 90 Figure 5-2- View from Killuney Road across the existing roundabout and towards typical residential properties within Drumman Heights...... 90 F