N24 CARRICK ROAD IMPROVEMENT SCHEME SCHEME FEASIBILITY & ROUTE OPTIONS REPORT OCTOBER 2019 Client: Originator: Kilkenny County Council, Tramore House Regional Design County Hall, Office, John Street, Pond Road, Kilkenny. Tramore, Co. Waterford. Tel: (056) 7794000 Fax: (566) 7794069 Tel: (051) 390130 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] N24 Carrick Road Improvement Scheme Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report BLANK PAGE KK/16/13403-P2.001 Issue No. F3 Page 2 of 260 N24 Carrick Road Improvement Scheme Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET Client Kilkenny County Council Project Title N24 Carrick Road Improvement Scheme NRA Project No. KK/16/13403 Tramore House Project No. TH/16/030 Project Phase Phase 1/2 Document Title Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report Report No. KK/16/13403-P2.001 Rev. Status Author(s) Reviewed By Approved By Issue Date F1 Final T. Brennan J. Leacy G. Jones 30/06/2019 F2 Final T.Brennan/J.Leacy C. Daly G. Jones 7/10/2019 F3 Final T.Brennan/J.Leacy C. Daly G. Jones 18/10/2019 KK/16/13403-P2.001 Issue No. F3 Page 3 of 260 N24 Carrick Road Improvement Scheme Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report REGISTRATION OF AMENDMENTS Rev. Page No.(s) Details of Amendment Date KK/16/13403-P2.001 Issue No. F3 Page 4 of 260 N24 Carrick Road Improvement Scheme Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................... 8 1 INTRODUCTION & DESCRIPTION ................................................................. 9 1.1 Scheme Description & Development ...................................................................... 9 1.2 Background, Project History & Context ................................................................. 10 1.3 Purpose of the Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report ................................ 10 1.4 Project Operational Goals & Design Strategies .................................................... 11 2 SCHEME NEED & OBJECTIVES ...................................................................12 2.1 Overview................................................................................................................ 12 2.1.1 Journey Time & Speed .................................................................................................. 12 2.1.2 Existing Road Character ............................................................................................... 13 2.1.3 Traffic Volumes & Route Capacity ............................................................................... 14 2.1.4 Road Safety ................................................................................................................... 15 2.2 Policy Context ....................................................................................................... 17 2.2.1 National Development Framework – Project Ireland 2040 .......................................... 17 2.2.2 National Development Plan – Project Ireland 2040 ..................................................... 18 2.2.3 Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport (SIFLT) ..................................... 18 2.2.4 Smarter Travel – A Sustainable Transport Future 2009 – 2020 ................................... 19 2.2.5 RSA Road Safety Strategy 2013 – 2020 ........................................................................ 20 2.2.6 South East Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022 .................................................. 20 2.2.7 Kilkenny County Development Plan 2014 – 2020 ........................................................ 21 2.3 Scheme Objectives ............................................................................................... 21 3 TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT & OPTION CROSS-SECTION ...............................23 3.1 Overview................................................................................................................ 23 3.2 Traffic Volumes – Mainline .................................................................................... 23 3.3 Traffic Volumes – L7416 Grange Road ................................................................. 24 3.4 Future Traffic Projections N24 .............................................................................. 24 3.5 Option Cross-Section Considerations ................................................................... 25 4 STUDY AREA & CONSTRAINTS ...................................................................27 4.1 Overview................................................................................................................ 27 4.2 Natural Constraints ................................................................................................ 27 4.2.1 Ecology & Bio-Diversity ............................................................................................... 29 4.2.2 Geology, Hydrology and Hydrogeology ....................................................................... 29 4.2.3 Landscape & Visual ...................................................................................................... 30 4.3 Artificial Constraints ............................................................................................... 30 4.3.1 Land Use and Planning ................................................................................................ 30 4.3.2 Engineering ................................................................................................................... 31 4.3.3 Archaeology, Architectural and Cultural Heritage ...................................................... 32 4.3.4 Material Assets - Agriculture ........................................................................................ 32 4.3.5 Material Assets – Non Agriculture ................................................................................ 32 4.3.6 Air Quality & Climate ................................................................................................... 32 4.3.7 Noise & Vibration ......................................................................................................... 32 4.3.8 Human Beings ............................................................................................................... 33 4.4 External Parameters .............................................................................................. 34 KK/16/13403-P2.001 Issue No. F3 Page 5 of 260 N24 Carrick Road Improvement Scheme Scheme Feasibility & Route Options Report 5 CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES & OPTIONS ....................................35 5.1 Overview................................................................................................................ 35 5.2 Public Transport - Rail ........................................................................................... 35 5.3 Public Transport - Bus ........................................................................................... 35 5.4 Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) – Cyclists .............................................................. 35 5.5 Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) – Pedestrians ....................................................... 37 5.6 Demand Management Proposals or Controls ....................................................... 37 5.7 Road Based Options ............................................................................................. 37 5.7.1 Do-Nothing & Do-Minimum Option ............................................................................. 37 5.7.2 Do-Something Options .................................................................................................. 37 6 PRELIMINARY OPTION ASSESSMENT ........................................................38 6.1 Overview & Proposed Route Corridor Options ..................................................... 38 6.2 Public Consultation ................................................................................................ 41 6.2.1 Public Consultation – Route Corridor Options ............................................................ 41 6.2.2 Public Consultation – Preferred Route Corridor ......................................................... 42 6.3 Engineering Assessment....................................................................................... 43 6.3.1 Traffic & Route Cross-Section ...................................................................................... 44 6.3.2 Technical Standards (Design) ....................................................................................... 44 6.3.3 Preliminary Junction Strategy & Access ...................................................................... 44 6.3.4 Structures ...................................................................................................................... 45 6.3.5 Geology & Groundwater .............................................................................................. 45 6.3.6 Earthworks Balance ...................................................................................................... 45 6.3.7 Road Safety – Stage F1 Road Safety Audit ................................................................... 46 6.3.8 Drainage ....................................................................................................................... 46 6.3.9 Construction or Constructability .................................................................................. 47 6.3.10 Potential Service Conflicts ......................................................................................