An €11m contract to construct the Midleton Northern Relief Road, Phase One has been awarded to Ascon Ltd, Kill, County Kildare.

The relief road forms an important component of the Cork County Development Plan. The completion of the Road will ease traffic congestion along Main Street, and allow traffic to by-pass the central town area.

The overall length of the Midleton Northern Relief Road, Phase One is 1.6km. The Road Project commences at the Oatencake N25 flyover on the Cork Road (west of Midleton), and it crosses the Cork to Midleton Rail Line in the form of a new bridge and the road continues east crossing the Owenacurra River to the Mill Road (north of the Town Centre).

As part of this Road Scheme, there are proposals to construct two signalised junctions at either end of the proposed road and two internal roundabouts.

-- Advertisement --

MHL & Associates Ltd, Consulting Engineers designed the Relief Road while the Railway and River Bridges were designed by Michael Punch & Partners and Malachy Walsh & Partners Consulting Engineers respectively, and Mott MacDonald Pettit Ltd are responsible for structural designs and A&M Consultants designed the public lighting.

The entire Scheme is being project managed by the Non-National Road Design Office of Cork County Council.

Segregated footpaths and cycle paths are provided over the full length of the Road Scheme. Three lanes of carriageway will be provided within the kerb lines and the central lane will facilitate ghost hatching, central refuge islands and future right turn lanes.

The proposed road will facilitate the re-opening of the Glounthaune to Midleton Rail Line in 2009.

Iarnród Eireann and Cork County Council have worked closely together since 2004 in addressing the infrastructural requirements needed to reopen the rail line. The Midleton Northern Relief Road, Phase 1 is identified by both parties as having an important role to play in reducing any traffic congestion which may arise as a result of re-opening the rail line, thereby alleviating potential traffic delays and safety concerns at the Mill Road Automated Level Crossing.

The Northern Relief Road is expected to be completed and open to the public by the end of 2008.

(VB/JM)