Phase 1 Overall Project Planning

The N11 route forms part of the North/South Road Corridor that links Dublin to Wexford. The route has been identified in the National Roads Needs Study 1998 and the National Development Plan (2000-2006) as one of strategic importance and in need of improvement.

Ryan Hanley WSP Ltd. have been appointed by Wexford County Council to define a study area, develop route corridors and recommend a preferred route for the Enniscorthy By-Pass. The Project Manager for the scheme is based in Tramore House Regional Design Office.

Phase 2 Constraints Study

A Study Area for the scheme was put on display in Enniscorthy in February 2001 outlining the area within which studies would be carried out to identify constraints to route corridor development. A Constraints Study was carried out within this study area and a Draft Constraints Study Report prepared. Following from this Draft Constraints Study Report, four route corridors have been identified for the scheme Ðtwo on the west of Enniscorthy Town (Green and Blue Corridors) and two on the East (Red and Gold Corridors).

Public Information days for these route corridors were held in Treacys Hotel on 20th April and 10th May 2001. Brochures and Questionnaires were available at these information days for public information and feedback. Following the public information days, individual meetings were facilitated with action groups and individuals who wished to discuss various aspects of the scheme.

The final Constraints Study Report was published in July 2001, and is available for public inspection in Enniscorthy Library, Wexford County Hall, Enniscorthy Area Office and Tramore House. The Report is also available for purchase at a cost of £25. (An Executive Summary of the Constraints Study is available for viewing on this website).

Phase 3 Route Selection

More detailed engineering, environmental and economic studies have now been carried out on the four route corridors in order to identify a preferred route for the scheme.

The preferred route which has been identified is the purple route - a combination of sections of the green, gold and red routes.

A public consultation for the preferred route was held during the week 27th to 31st May 2002 in the Wexford IFA Centre in Enniscorthy. All landowners directly affected by the preferred route were invited to individual meetings with the project team over a two-day period, and the display was open to the public for a further two-day period. Brochures including questionnaires were available at the display for public information and to facilitate comment on the preferred route.

As a result of this public consultation process a total of 25 submissions (letters and questionnaires) were received. Of these 16 are directly effected by the Preferred Route. The following table gives a summary of the issues raised in these submissions:

As can be seen from the above table the main concern of respondents is severance, access to lands and how this access will be provided. These issues will be dealt with in detail in discussions with effected landowners to reach agreement on accommodation works and compensation (during Phase 4 of the scheme). Other issues are the perceived increases in noise and air pollution due to the proximity of the alignment and the visual intrusion that this will cause.

A number of the submissions made (e.g. detail in relation to junction treatment) can only be dealt with under the next phase (Phase 4 Preliminary Design) of the project. These submissions will be held on file and considered in more detail at that stage. This is also the case with concerns raised on environmental and visual intrusion, which will be dealt with in more detail during the Environmental Impact Assessment process (which is also part of Phase 4 of the project).

All other submissions, including issues raised by effected landowners during the public consultation process, have now been fully considered. Detailed consideration has been given to these views and concerns in deciding the final selected route.

Individual responses will issue in the near future to all of these persons/bodies who made written submissions.

The following is a summary of the changes to the preferred route as publicly displayed in May last.

• The side road at Solsborough adjacent to Coillte lands will now go under the main alignment. To achieve this, the alignment of this road will be moved slightly to the west of its existing position. This will reduce visual intrusion and ensure that the memorial gates at Solsborough Lodge are not effected.
• Realignment of the eastern section of the preferred route to the west between Tomnafunshoge and Cooladine. This also includes the movement of the junction on the R744 to the south. This realignment ensures that residences at Cooladine are retained, the impact of the roundabout on the R744 on adjacent properties is reduced and the alignment of the county road in the Cooladine area is improved.
• The northern roundabout on the western section of the preferred route where it ties into the existing N80/N11 is moved approximately 250 meters to the south to a position adjacent to the existing N11. This layout reduces delays at the junction by increasing traffic movement. It also reduces overall severance at this location and requires less land. However, the exact layout of this junction will still have to be decided at Phase 4 Preliminary Design Stage, when a more detailed analysis of the turning movements is undertaken.
• The side road at Ballyorril has been realigned so that it runs almost adjacent to the existing county road. This maintains an avenue of mature trees at the entrance to a property and reduces the length of county road that has to be realigned.

THE FINAL SELECTED ROUTE THEREFORE IS:

The route on the east side commences with a proposed roundabout at the existing N11 and N80 junction in Clavass, and heads in a south east direction crossing the River Slaney and the Dublin to Rosslare railway at Blackwater. It then heads south through Ballynabarny and crosses the R744 at Tomnafunshoge where a roundabout is proposed just to the south of the R744. It continues south through Drumgold, DarbyÕs Gap and Glentiege, before rejoining the N11 at a proposed roundabout in Scurlocksbush, approximately 6 kilometres south of Enniscorthy.

The route to the west commences with a proposed roundabout in the vicinity of the existing N11, 250 meters south of the N11 / N80 junction and travels in a south westerly direction to the east of Moyne Middle and south of Killalligan North until it crossed the R702 at a proposed roundabout. It continues in a southerly direction crossing the Urrin River to the west of Bessemount and meets the realigned N30 south of Dunsinane at a proposed roundabout. The Purple Route option is approximately 12.9 kilometres in length on the east and approximately 8.2 kilometres in length on .the west.

It should be noted that this recommended route will necessarily undergo further refinement at subsequent design stages.

The land required for the preferred route as now finalised will be reserved through the planning process and the project team will continue to liaise with directly effected landowners pending the formal acquisition of the required land as part of the next phase of the project. Of course, with the preferred route now having been chosen, the planning restrictions placed around the other route corridors which were previously under consideration will now be lifted.

The Route Selection Report and other documents are now available as follows:

· The full Route Selection Report is available for (a) Purchase (at a cost of 30 euro) and (b) Inspection (in County Hall Wexford, Enniscorthy Town Council Offices, Enniscorthy Library and the Roads Liaison Office)

• The Non-Technical Summary will similarly be available and will be free of charge
• The Non-Technical Summary can be downloaded here: [WORD DOC 64K]
• Each directly effected landowner will receive a letter giving details of the route.
• A newsletter giving details of the route will be circulated in the district through the Council Offices and Public Library.

Responses will be issued to all those who made submissions since the public display in May last.

An important milestone in this most important project for the economy of County Wexford and the Enniscorthy District has now been reached and we look forward to continuing to progress it to a speedy and successful conclusion.

©TRAMORE HOUSE REGIONAL DESIGN OFFICE  2001   TEL: +353 51 390 130   FAX: +353 51 390 699

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