Route Selection Report Volume 1A Report - Part 1 March 2016 Galway County Council N6 Galway City Transport Project Route Selection Report GCOB-4.04-009 Issue 1 | 16 March 2016 This report takes into account the particular instructions and requirements of our client. It is not intended for and should not be relied upon by any third party and no responsibility is undertaken to any third party. Job number 223985-00 Ove Arup & Partners Ireland Ltd Arup Corporate House City East Business Park Ballybrit Galway Ireland www.arup.com Document Verification Job title N6 Galway City Transport Project Job number 223985-00 Document title Route Selection Report File reference GCOB-4.04-009 Document ref GCOB-4.04-009 Revision Date Filename GCOB-4.04-009 (Route Selection Report)_D1.docx Draft 1 28 Aug Description Draft 1 2015 Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Mary Hurley Fiona Patterson Eileen McCarthy Signature Issue 1 16 Mar Filename GCOB-4.04-009 (Route Selection Report)_I1.docx 2016 Description Issue 1 Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Mary Hurley Fiona Patterson Eileen McCarthy Signature Filename Description Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Signature Filename Description Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Signature Issue Document Verification with Document Galway County Council N6 Galway City Transport Project Route Selection Report List of Volumes Volume 1A – Route Selection Report – Part 1 Volume 1B – Route Selection Report – Part 2 Volume 2 – Figures Volume 3A – Appendices – Part 1 Volume 3B – Appendices – Part 2 Volume 3A – Appendices – Part 3 Volume 3B – Appendices – Part 4 Volume 1A – Route Selection Report – Part 1 Contents Page 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Overview 1 1.2 Purpose of the Route Selection Report 2 1.3 Background to the N6 Galway City Transport Project 3 1.4 Galway City Integrated Transport Management Programme 6 1.5 Objectives of the N6 Galway City Transport Project 7 1.6 Scheme Operational Goals and Design Strategies 9 2 Identification of Need 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Strategic Fit and Priority within the National Road Programme 11 2.3 Road Development Policy 12 2.4 Scheme Specific Need 27 2.5 References 34 3 Traffic Assessment and Route Cross-section 35 3.1 Introduction 35 3.2 Summary of Traffic Modelling Report 35 3.3 Initial Selection of Road Type 49 3.4 Preliminary Junction Strategy 50 4 Constraints Study 53 4.1 Introduction 53 4.2 Natural Constraints 56 GCOB-4.04-009 | Issue 1 | 16 March 2016 | Arup Galway County Council N6 Galway City Transport Project Route Selection Report 4.3 Ecology 56 4.4 Soils and Geology 82 4.5 Hydrogeology 105 4.6 Hydrology 117 4.7 Landscape and Visual 128 4.8 Artificial Constraints 137 4.9 Land Use and Planning Context 137 4.10 Engineering 144 4.11 Archaeological, Architectural and Cultural Heritage 155 4.12 Material Assets – Agriculture 192 4.13 Material Assets – Non-Agriculture 195 4.14 Air Quality and Climate 205 4.15 Noise and Vibration 211 4.16 Human Beings 217 4.17 External Parameters 229 5 Consideration of Alternatives 234 5.1 Introduction 234 5.2 Non-feasible Alternatives 234 5.3 Options Development 240 5.4 Summary 248 5.5 References 249 6 Stage 1 Preliminary Options Assessment 250 6.1 Description of Route Options identified 250 6.2 Findings from Public Consultation No. 2 254 6.3 Engineering Assessment 255 6.4 Road Safety Impact Assessment 264 6.5 Environmental Assessment 266 6.6 Option Comparison Cost Estimates 419 6.7 Framework Matrix 423 6.8 Recommendation 428 Page GCOB-4.04-009 | Issue 1 | 16 March 2016 | Arup Galway County Council N6 Galway City Transport Project Route Selection Report 1 Introduction 1.1 Overview Galway County Council, Galway City Council, the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as National Roads Authority) 1 and the National Transport Authority are collaborating in developing a solution to the existing transportation issues in Galway City and environs. The transportation solution will include a smart mobility component, public transport component and road component. The N6 Galway City Transport Project (GCTP) is the road component of the transportation solution and is the subject of this route selection report. In parallel, the National Transport Authority is engaged with Galway City Council in developing the smart mobility and public transport components of the overall transportation solution (known as the Galway City Integrated Transport Management Programme (ITMP)). Whilst the N6 GCTP will integrate with the ITMP, the route selection process is a stand-alone process and is not reliant on the other components of the ITMP as studies to date have indicated that a road component is a necessary part of the solution. This report presents the findings of the Constraints and Route Selection study for the proposed N6 GCTP. This has been prepared in accordance with Phase 2 of the National Roads Authority (NRA) 2010 Project Management Guidelines (PMGs). The NRA 2010 Project Management Guidelines (PMGs) are a guide on how a scheme should develop and progress. They contain a framework for the phased approach to the development, management and delivery of major national road schemes in Ireland. They are structured so as to ensure consistency in this approach throughout the entire network. The Guidelines are divided into seven phases namely Phase 1 Scheme Concept & Feasibility Studies, Phase 2 Route Selection, Phase 3 Design, Phase 4 EIA & The Statutory Processes, Phase 5 Advance Works & Construction Documents Preparation, Tender & Award, Phase 6 Construction & Implementation, and Phase 7 Handover, Review & Closeout. We are currently engaged in Phase 2 of the N6 Galway City Transport Project and this report documents the findings of Phase 2 Route Selection. The Department of Finance established the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) in order to deliver the Government’s objectives in relation to Public Sector Construction Procurement Reform. As TII-funded schemes constitute Public Sector Procured Construction Projects, they are subject to the requirements of the CWMF. Therefore, elements of the appraisal process required under CWMF are 1 The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has signed the order for the merger of the National Roads Authority (NRA) with the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) to establish a single new entity called Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The National Roads Authority is known as Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) since 1st of August 2015. All references to guidance documents and standards within this report will retain the NRA reference until such time as these documents are updated. GCOB-4.04-009 | Issue 1 | 16 March 2016 | Arup Page 1 Galway County Council N6 Galway City Transport Project Route Selection Report also pertinent to this scheme and there will be interaction with and reference to the CWMF throughout this report 1.2 Purpose of the Route Selection Report The purpose of Phase 2 as per the NRA PMGs is to identify a suitable Study Area for the examination of alternative routes, to identify key constraints within that Study Area, to develop feasible route options and to carry out a systematic assessment of these options leading to the selection of a Preferred Route Corridor which will form the basis for the detailed design to follow in Phase 3. This phase also outlines the requirements for public consultation associated with the development of routes and alternatives. Collectively an upgrade of the existing infrastructure, the ‘on-line’ option, and numerous ‘green field’ options, as well as an initial assessment of improvements to public transport, have been considered during the planning and design of the preferred road component of the transportation solution. The Route Selection Process is a 3-stage process outlined as follows: Stage 1 - Develop a number of feasible route options (typically 6 or more and including ‘Do-Nothing’ and ‘Do-Minimum’ alternatives) and carry out a Preliminary Options Assessment using a Framework Matrix (comprising the assessment criteria of Engineering, Environment and Economy); Stage 2 - After Stage 1, carry out a Project Appraisal of these routes using the Project Appraisal Matrix (comprising the 5 Common Appraisal Criteria of Economy, Safety, Environment, Accessibility & Social Inclusion and Integration); and Stage 3 - After Stage 2, select a Preferred Route Corridor for the Scheme. Following this, prepare a Project Appraisal Balance Sheet (PABS) for the Preferred Route as described in the NRA Project Appraisal Guidelines. Chapter 2 of this report identifies the need for the N6 GCTP. Chapter 3 describes the traffic assessment whilst Chapter 4 outlines the findings of the constraints study and identifies the key constraints within the scheme study area. A public consultation in relation to the constraints study was held in July 2014 and an overview along with the findings of this consultation is also included in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 describes the alternatives that were considered during the process including both feasible and non-feasible alternatives. Six feasible route options were developed and these were included in the Stage 1 assessment as described in Chapter 6. Following this assessment, a second public consultation was held in January/February 2015 to update the public in relation to constraints study and to consult with the public on the six route options. Following this public consultation, modifications were made to the route options and these modified route options were included in the Stage 2 assessment. This consultation, the design modification and Stage 2 assessment are described in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 outlines the results of the Project Appraisal Balance Sheet (PABS) for the Preferred Route Corridor and makes a recommendation for the Preferred Route Corridor which should form the basis of Phases 3 and 4 of the scheme development. Public display of the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor was held in May 2015 and the findings of this consultation are included also in Chapter 8.