Project Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington 0 Route Options Assessment Main Report Boyne Greenway Drogheda to Mornington Report Title Route Options Assessment Main Report Date July 2020 Client Ardstone Homes Ltd DBFL Consulting Engineers -p170029 Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington 1 Route Options Assessment Main Report Document Control Job Title: Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington Job Number: p170029 Report Ref: p170029-Rep-003 Author: Mark Kelly Reviewed by: Robert Kelly Date: July 2020 Distribution: Meath County Council DBFL Consulting Engineers Revision Issue Date Description Prepared Reviewed Approved 1st Working 21/08/2019 Client Review MK RK TJ Draft Final 30/08/2019 Non-Statutory Public MK RK TJ Consultation Draft 20/04/2020 Design Team & Client Review MK RK BB Draft 28/04/2020 Design Team & Client Review MK RK BB Final 15/07/2020 Planning MK RK BB DBFL Consulting Engineers Dublin Office Cork Office Waterford Office Ormond House Phoenix Park Suite 8b The Atrium, Ormond Quay Monahan Road Maritana Gate, Canada Street, Dublin 7, D07 W704 Cork, T12 HIXY Waterford, X91 W028 Tel 01 4004000 Tel 021 2024538 Tel 051 309500 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Web www.dbfl.ie Web www.dbfl.ie Web www.dbfl.ie DBFL Consulting Engineers disclaims any responsibility to the Client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of this report. This report has been prepared with reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the Contract with the Client and generally in accordance with ACEI SE 9101 Conditions of Engagement and taking account of the manpower, resources, investigations and testing devoted to it by agreement with the Client. This report is confidential to the Client and DBFL Consulting Engineers accepts no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. Any such party relies upon the report at their own risk. DBFL Consulting Engineers -p170029 Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington 2 Route Options Assessment Main Report CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND POLICY CONTEXT ......................................... 3 1.1 Preamble ................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Report Structure ..................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Boyne Greenway – Overall scheme ........................................................................ 4 1.4 Policies ................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Policy Conclusion ................................................................................................. 15 1.6 Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington Objectives........................................ 16 1.7 Background to the Proposed Route ...................................................................... 17 1.8 Physical Character of the Greenway ..................................................................... 18 2.0 STUDY AREA ....................................................................................... 21 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Study Area Sections ............................................................................................. 22 2.3 Study Area Characteristics & Constraints .............................................................. 26 3.0 ROUTE OPTION ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY............................ 42 3.1 Assessment Process ............................................................................................ 42 3.2 Route Option Assessment Methodology ............................................................... 42 4.0 SECTION 1 ROUTE OPTION ASSESSMENT .................................... 52 4.1 Options Assessment ............................................................................................. 52 4.2 Section 1 – Option Assessment ............................................................................ 55 4.3 Options Assessment ............................................................................................. 60 5.0 SECTION 2 ROUTE OPTION ASSESSMENT .................................... 62 5.1 Options Assessment ............................................................................................. 62 5.2 Initial Assessment of Scheme Sub-options for ‘The Gut’........................................ 63 5.3 Assessment of Principal Route Options ................................................................ 81 6.0 EMERGING PREFERRED SCHEME ................................................... 96 6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 96 6.2 Route Options Assessment Conclusions ............................................................... 96 6.3 Recommended Preferred Option .......................................................................... 96 7.0 APPENDIX A – SUB OPTIONS ASSESSMENT ............................... 100 8.0 APPENDIX B – PRINCIPAL ROUTE OPTIONS ASSESSMENT .... 104 DBFL Consulting Engineers -p170029 Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington 3 Route Options Assessment Main Report 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND POLICY CONTEXT 1.1 Preamble 1.1.1 This report presents the findings of the route options assessment work undertaken for the Boyne Greenway- Drogheda to Mornington (hereafter referred to as the ‘proposed scheme’) and a recommendation on a preferred route is made. 1.1.2 This route options assessment report describes the assessment undertaken of potentially viable route options within the study area identified for the proposed scheme, against established assessment criteria. 1.2 Report Structure 1.2.1 The route option assessment process and corresponding report structure are detailed below: • Section 1 – Subsequent parts of this section provide an introduction and background to the Boyne Greenway. • Section 2 – The proposed Study Area is described identifying key constraints and opportunities. • Section 3 – The methodology for identifying and assessing the feasibility of the various route options is discussed in this section including: - the identification of study area sections where practical route options were considered; - the selection and determination of initial criteria for screening and assessing technically feasible route options, based on distinct, project-specific objectives; and - the definition of assessment criteria. • Sections 4 to 5 – details the route option assessment for Sections 1-2 including sub-options for section 2. • Section 6 – The preferred route for the proposed scheme is described. DBFL Consulting Engineers -p170029 Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington 4 Route Options Assessment Main Report 1.3 Boyne Greenway – Overall scheme 1.3.1 The overall objective of the proposed Boyne Greenway is to provide a dedicated pedestrian and cycle route from Drogheda Town to Mornington Village while also providing connections to schools along the route i.e. Le Chéile Educate Together, Bhradain Feasa Primary School and Drogheda Grammar Schools. The overall length of the Drogheda to Mornington section of the route is approximately 5.9km (see Figure 1.1 below). The Boyne Greenway has been identified as a route which will eventually form part of the National Cycle Network (corridor 5 & 15) linking from the East Coast Trail at Drogheda to the international cross-country EuroVelo Route 2 from Galway to Dublin southwest of Trim. Once developed the Boyne Greenway will be a world class tourist facility creating significant economic opportunities for businesses and communities along the length of the valley and its surrounds. The proposed route will also help to link up existing tourist attractions at Mellifont Abbey, the Bridge of Peace, the Battle of The Boyne site at Oldcastle and Brú Na Bóinne at Newgrange. Figure 1.1: The Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington DBFL Consulting Engineers -p170029 Boyne Greenway – Drogheda to Mornington 5 Route Options Assessment Main Report 1.4 Policies Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways 1.4.1 The Strategy sets out how National and Regional Greenways in Ireland should be planned, suitable locations and constructed to an appropriate standard. It also aims to increase the number and geographical spread of Greenways and quality around the country. 1.4.2 The Strategy sets out the importance of early and widespread consultation with landowners and communities along and adjacent to proposed Greenway routes. The Strategy also emphasises the need to minimise the impact on landholdings by minimising severance as far as possible and providing accommodation works such as fencing and underpasses where required. The Strategy also sets out the importance of access to Scenery and things to See and Do in order to attract tourists. Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 1.4.3 The Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 as compiled by the National Transport Authority sets out the Strategic Transport Plan for the Greater Dublin Area for the period up to 2035. 1.4.4 The purpose of the NTA’s Strategy is to: “provide a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) over the next two decades. It also provides a transport planning policy around which other agencies involved