The New Ross Bypass is the name of a 14KM-long dual-carriageway that will allow traffic on the N25 to bypass the town of New Ross in County Wexford. Because the N25 is an extremely busy primary road that connects Cork City and Rosslare Europort, traffic tailbacks on the Kilkenny side of New Ross Bridge have become a common occurrence over the years. In many cases, these tailbacks have been known to add an extra 20-60 minutes to a vehicle’s journey.
Map.
Below, you will find an interactive Google Map that displays the general route that the New Ross By-pass will take.
As you can see, the new bypass will stretch from Glenmore in County Kilkenny to the main N30 primary road between New Ross and Enniscorthy. Along the way, it will connect with some of the various primary and regional roads that it intersects with (via roundabouts and slip roads). The construction of the bypass will also lead to the creation of a new 3-tower extradosed bridge, which will cross the River Barrow roughly 6KM south of New Ross Bridge. A extradosed bridge is an aesthetically-pleasing bridge design that consists of cables and towers / pylons. The bridge in question will facilitate four lanes of traffic.
Facts.
Here are some facts and information about the New Ross Bypass:
- The project was approved by An Bord Pleanála back in December of 2008.
- The project will cost roughly €217m.
- An estimated 300 jobs will be created throughout the course of its construction.
- Work on the project is expected to begin at the end of 2015 / early 2016.
- The bypass is expected to be completed by 2018.
- The new bridge will be 900 metres in length, making it Ireland’s longest bridge (in comparison, the bridge in Wexford Town is 590 metres in length).
- It was tendered separately from the Enniscorthy Bypass.
Concerns.
Although the project and its positive impact on traffic congestion in the area has been welcomed by most, a number of people have expressed their concerns that such a bypass will harm the local economy of New Ross. According to some critics, the decrease in traffic will lead to less shoppers visiting the town. Others have countered these concerns by stating that the alleviation of traffic congestion on The Quay in New Ross may entice more people to visit the town centre.
News.
Previous headlines and news stories about the project:
- December 2003: County Manager Eddie Breen hopes that the project can be brought ‘back on track’ after the National Roads Authority states that there is no money for the project until 2005.
- October 2004: County Manager Eddie Breen tells council members that the New Ross Bypass project is ‘back on the drawing board’. Breen announces that the project should be completed by 2010.
- September 2005: It is announced that the Wexford County Council will begin preliminary ground investigation work on the New Ross Bypass.
- May 2006: It is reported that the new bridge will be the longest bridge in Ireland, spanning almost 1KM across the River Barrow.
- May 2006: Work on the new bridge is expected to start in late 2007 / 2008.
- December 2008: An Bord Pleanala grants permission for the project to go ahead.
- April 2009: Despite a reduction in capital spending, Don Curtin from the National Roads Programme assures local newspapers that work on the New Ross Bypass will begin in the first quarter of 2011 (at the latest).
- April 2009: Transport researcher and campaigner Brian Guckian calls for the project to be scrapped; stating that other alternative options should be explored, such as the reopening of the railway through New Ross.
- December 2009: In light of the High Court challenge against the proposed route, County Manager Eddie Breen expresses his concerns for the fate of the project.
- March 2010: A bid by Dublin-based Environmental Campaigner Peter Sweetman to stop the bypass is thrown out by the High Court.
- November 2010: According to County Manager Eddie Breen, the preferred bidder of the New Ross Bypass is set to be announced in March of 2011.
- August 2011: It is announced that the bypass project has been shelved because of a lack of funds.
- April 2012: It is revealed that over €11 million has been spent on land acquisition for the project.
- July 2012: The Irish Government announces that the project is going ahead as part of a ‘stimulus investment for County Wexford’.
- December 2014: Minister for Transport, Paschal Donohoe, tells local reporters that work on the project should begin in 2015 or 2016.
- December 2014: Minister of State Paul Kehoe states that the bypass will be toll-free.
- February 2015: The BAM Iridium Consortium is announced as the preferred tenderer for the project.
- June 2015: It is reported that the start date of the construction of the New Ross Bypass had been delayed as the contract had not yet been awarded.
- July 2015: Ibec states that the New Ross Bypass is ‘vital’ to ensure continued investment in County Wexford.
- September 2015: Eamonn Hore, who is the Director of Services with the Wexford County Council’s Roads Department, tells the Wexford People paper that the project is due to begin in November of 2015.
- January 2016: A spokesperson for the Wexford County Council tells Wexford Hub: “The signing of the contract to construct the N25 New Ross By Pass and Second River Crossing will take place within the next 4 weeks and construction of the scheme will start later this year.”
