Environmental Impact Study 

The Environmental Study assessed the impact on communities affected by the proposed route. The route passes through predominantly urban/suburban areas on the south side of the River Shannon where a residential element is interspersed with commercial, industrial and recreational activities. The route north of the River Shannon passes through predominantly rural countryside where the existing land use is almost exclusively agricultural. Settlement along the route generally consists of dense housing estates at Rossbrien, Ballykeeffe and Ballinacurra, some individual houses along Ballykeeffe Boreen and close to the N18 tie-in, small scattered groups of housing at Clonmacken Roundabout and the small village of Coonagh.

In general, the improved road network brought about by the completion of the scheme will provide significant benefits at the regional and sub-regional levels. Travel times and transport costs will be reduced and journeys will be safer. This will enhance prospects for economic development, will stimulate increased tourist activity and will improve accessibility of recreational and cultural facilities. With the provision of the mitigation measures, the advantages of the scheme considerably outweigh the disadvantages and the community as a whole will benefit from the completion of the scheme.

At a local level, there will be both positive and negative impacts. Local residents in Limerick City and suburbs will enjoy the benefits ensuing from the reduction in traffic volumes through the city centre, i.e. the relief from existing severance caused by traffic and the improvement in amenity and safety. The reduced traffic volumes on the existing road network will also create a safer and more pleasant environment in which to work and live, and the accessibility of neighbouring properties and facilities will be greatly enhanced. The improved traffic circulation and the enhanced road network will reduce delivery and journey times. The business community in the city and surrounding suburbs will be expected to benefit from increased productivity and greater reliability in the conveyance of goods and services.

Certain businesses, particularly those along the by-passed section of the N18, may suffer as a result of the loss of passing trade. However access to these services by the local community will be enhanced. In mitigation for any loss of passing trade occurring as a result of redistribution of national/through traffic, general services information signs, in keeping with safety requirements for a road of this type, will be provided on the approach to the off-ramp at the Coonagh West Interchange. These standard information signs will indicate the range of services along the bypassed section so as to ensure loss of passing trade is minimised.

To minimise severance due to the new route eleven new road bridges are being provided. In addition, a number of access roads and underpasses are being provided to facilitate access to properties severed by the proposed route. No major roads will be severed as a result of this scheme. However it will be necessary to close off one of two vehicular access points to the Ballykeeffe Estate. In mitigation, traffic lights and a yellow box will be provided at the remaining access point to facilitate traffic entering and leaving the estate. A benefit is that the use of the front road of the estate as a 'ratrun' for traffic trying to bypass the roundabout at the Crescent Shopping Centre during busy times will be prevented as a result of the road closure. Once operational, three further locations will experience a restriction on traffic movements. The first is
Rossbrien Interchange where the following traffic movements will not be permitted:
· From LSRR Phase I to Childers Road
· From N20/N21 Cork and Kerry roads to Childers Road

The second location is at Clonmacken where traffic travelling southbound from the N18 Ennis Road on the LSRR Phase II will not be permitted to exit via the Clonmacken Link. Also, traffic travelling along the Clonmacken Link from the Clonmacken Roundabout will not be permitted to head northwards toward the N18 tie-in. Finally at the tie-in with the N18, traffic travelling northwards from the LSRR Phase II will not be permitted to travel eastbound to the city centre and similarly traffic travelling westwards from the city centre will not be permitted onto the LSRR Phase II southbound.

Cycle/pedestrian footways will be provided along the St. Nessan's Road Overbridge. The existing pedestrian crossing on St. Nessan's Road is scheduled for upgrading to a formalised crossing and this will be replaced close to its current location when the St. Nessan's Road Overbridge is completed. The realignment of St. Nessan's Road will allow the removal of the vehicular railway level crossing at that location. This will mean the removal of traffic delays on the road when trains are passing, especially where trains coincide with peak traffic flow and/or emergency vehicles. A cycle lane will also be included at the Dock Road Interchange.

A number of recreational facilities will be impacted by the proposed route including a juvenile soccer pitch as O'Higgins Drive, a sports pitch at John Carew Park and a training pitch at Portland Park. However, in mitigation, facilities of a standard, equivalent to that currently available, will be provided as close as possible to the current location. An all-weather training pitch in the grounds of the Shannon Rugby Football Club will also be impacted by the proposed road and this will have to be relocated within the grounds of the club.

During construction, there will be negative impacts of a temporary nature - mainly inconvenience to road users and local residents because of disruption to existing roads and services and nuisances created by noise, mud and dust. The Contractor’s Construction Management Plan will ensure that disruption to traffic is minimised during the construction phase. In addition, the walkways along Ballinacurra Creek and the Shannon Estuary will be temporarily disrupted during the construction of the scheme. This will be a temporary impact and the access will be maintained post-construction. The construction phase will generate employment and will increase local economic activity. Some businesses may be affected at times as a result of changes to travel patterns arising from temporary road closures or temporary traffic diversions necessitated by the construction works.